UE15ME352: Mechanical Vibrations Question Bank: B. Tech.

6th Semester: Unit V CS

PES University
Department of Mechanical Engineering
M. Tech. 2nd Semester
UE17ME542: Advanced Theory of Vibrations
Question Bank- Solutions

Unit V: Chapter 8 Continuous Systems

8.1
Determine the velocity of wave propagation in a cable of mass ρ = 5 kg/m when stretched by a
tension P = 4, 000N
(Ans:
.
 /)
8.2
A steel wire of 2 mm diameter is fixed between two points located 2 m apart. The tensile force in
the wire is 250 N. Determine,
(a) The velocity of wave propagation in the wire and
(b) The fundamental frequency of vibration
Assume the mass density of the material as 7,830 kg/m3
(Ans:  . 
/  
.   / =

.
 )
8.3
A stretched cable of length 2 m has a fundamental frequency of 3,000 Hz. Find the frequency of
the third mode. How is the fundamental and third mode frequencies changed if the tension is
increased by 20 percent?
(Ans: ,  ∴   
   .
% )
8.4
Find the time it takes for a transverse wave to travel along a transmission line from one tower to
another one 300 m away. Assume the horizontal component of the cable tension as 30,000 N and
the mass of the cable as 2 kg/m of length
(Ans:
. 
)
8.6
The cord of a musical instrument is fixed at both ends and has a length 2 m, diameter 0.5 mm,
and density 7,800 kg/m3. Find the tension required in order to have a fundamental frequency of
(a) 1 Hz and (b) 5 Hz
(Ans:  = ,
,     = ,
, )

1 Dr. C V Chandrashekara
UE15ME352: Mechanical Vibrations Question Bank: B. Tech. 6th Semester: Unit V CS

8.10
The cable between two electric transmission towers has a length of 2,000 m. It is clamped at its
ends under a tension P (Figure 1). The density of the cable material is 8,890 kg/m3. If the first
four natural frequencies are required to lie between 0 and 20 Hz, determine the necessary cross-
sectional area of the cable and the initial tension

Fig. 1
(Ans: = . !
 
  =
. 
"
×  " )
8.14
The strings of a guitar shown in Figure are made of music wire with diameter 0.05 mm, weight
density 76.5 kN/m3, and Young’s modulus 207 GPa. If the lengths of two of the strings are given
by 0.60 m and 0.65 m, determine the fundamental natural frequencies of the strings if the tension
in each string is 5 x104 N.

Fig. 2
(Ans:$%& &' = . !"
×    $( &' = . 
! ×   )


8.15
The vertical and horizontal forces (reactions) at joints A and B of a typical cable of the
suspension bridge shown in Figure 3 are given by Fx = 2.8 x 106 N and Fy = 1.1 x 106 N. The
cables are made of steel with a weight density of 76.5 kN/m3. If the effective diameter of the
cable is 25 cm, find the first two natural frequencies of vibration of the cable in the vertical
direction.

2 Dr. C V Chandrashekara
UE15ME352: Mechanical Vibrations Question Bank: B. Tech. 6th Semester: Unit V CS

Fig. 3
(Ans:  = .

!
 /  
= .   /)
8.18
A thin bar of length l and mass m is clamped at one end and free at the other. What mass M must
be attached to the free end in order to decrease the fundamental frequency of longitudinal
vibration by 50 percent from its fixed-free value?
(Ans: M = 1.1397 m)
8.21
A steel shaft of diameter d and length l is fixed at one end and carries a propeller of mass m and
mass moment of inertia J0 at the other end as shown in Figure 4. Determine the fundamental
natural frequency of vibration of the shaft in (a) axial vibration, and (b) torsional vibration.
Data: d = 5 cm, l = 1 m, m = 100 kg, J0 = 10 kg-m2.

Fig. 4
(Ans: *+ = , !! . !
  /  
= . 
"  /)

8.28
Find the fundamental frequency for torsional vibration of a shaft of length 2 m and diameter 50
mm when both the ends are fixed. The density of the material is 7,800 kg/m3 and the modulus of
rigidity is 0.8 x 1011 N/m2.
(Ans:  =
,  .
"  / )

3 Dr. C V Chandrashekara
UE15ME352: Mechanical Vibrations Question Bank: B. Tech. 6th Semester: Unit V CS

Lateral Vibration of Beams

8.30
Compute the first three natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes of the transverse
vibrations of a uniform beam of rectangular cross section (100 mm x 300 mm) with l = 2 m, E =
20.5 x 1010 N/m2, and ρ = 7.83 x 103 kg/m3 for the following cases:
(a) When both ends are simply supported;
(b) When both ends are built-in (clamped);
(c) When one end is fixed and the other end is free; and (d) when both ends are free. Plot the
mode shapes
(Ans:
,)  = , . !!  /, 
= , !.   /   = .  . "  /)
,)  =
, !. 
"  /, 
= ", 
.

  /  = , . !  /)
,)  = .
  /, 
=
, . !  /  = ", .    /)
8.52
Find the first two natural frequencies of vibration in the vertical direction of the floor of the
suspension bridge shown in Figure under the following assumptions:
1. The floor can be considered as a uniform beam with simple supports at both ends C and D.
2. The floor has a width (w) 12 m, thickness (t) 0.75 m and weight, including the supporting
girders, 3, 000 N/m.
3. The Young s modulus of the floor is 175 GPa

A suspension bridge

(Ans:  = . 
 /  = . !!
 /)

4 Dr. C V Chandrashekara