1

Determination of Natural Frequency and Mode

Shapes
Eigenvalue and Eigenvector
Standard Matrix Iteration Method
Dunkerlys Formula
Rayleighs Method
Holzers Method
2
Eigenvalue and Eigenvector
An eigenvector describes the movement
of each mass and the direction of each mass
relative to each others.
3
What is the eigenvector
for the 3 mass system ?
4
For the 1st mode of vibration shown there
are 3 natural frequencies and 3 mode
shapes. The 1st mode shape is characterized
by all the mass moving in phase to each
other.
5
(
(
(
(

+
+
+
3
2
1
x
x
x
(
(
(
(

3
2
1
x
x
x
Eigenvalue
1
2
or
mode 1
6
mode 2
(
(
(
(

+
+
3
2
1
x
x
x
(
(
(
(

3
2
1
x
x
x
(
(
(
(

+
3
2
1
x
x
x

2
>
1
Eigen value
1
2
or
or
7
(
(
(
(

+
3
2
1
x
x
x
(
(
(
(

3
2
1
x
x
x

3 >

2
>
mode 3
Eigenvalue
3
2
or

1
8
9
(3)
10
11
(7)
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Standard Matrix Iteration Method
20
21
Mass matrix
In the mass matrix of a MDOF system such as in the
example , the leading diagonal represent each masses as a
matrix elements , the rest is zero.
(
(
(

m 0 0
0 2 / m 0
0 0 m
[ m ] =
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

3
2
1
x
x
x
(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

3
2
1
x
x
x
characteristic equation of a MDOF system

2
[ m ] [ x ] = [ k ] [ x ]
=
2
22
23
24
Inverse Matrix.
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Dunkerleys Formula
It gives the approx value of the fundamental freq of a
composite system.
Consider the following general n DOF system:
For a lumped mass system with diagonal mass
matrix, the equation becomes:
| | | | | | | || | 0
1
or 0
2
2
= + = + m a I m k
e
e
0
0 ... 0
0
0
0 ... 0
...
...
...
1 0 ... 0
0
1 0
0 ... 0 1
1
2
1
2 1
2 22 21
1 12 11
2
=
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(

+
(
(
(
(

n nn n n
n
n
m
m
m
a a a
a a a
a a a




e
36
i.e.
Expanding:
0
1
...
...
1
...
1
2
2 2 1 1
2 2 22
2
1 21
1 2 12 1 11
2
=
+
+
+
n nn n n
n n
n n
m a m a m a
m a m a m a
m a m a m a
e
e
e

( )
(E.1) 0 ...
1
) ...
... (
1
...
1
2
2
1 1 , , 1 2 1 21 12
1 1 , 1 3 1 33 11 2 1 22 11
1
2
2 22 1 11
2
=
|
.
|

\
|

+ + + +
|
.
|

\
|
+ + +
|
.
|

\
|

n
n n n n n n
n n nn n n
n
n nn
n
m m a a m m a a
m m a a m m a a m m a a
m a m a m a
e
e e
37
Let the roots of this equation be 1/
1
2
, 1/
2
2
,,
1/
n
2.
Thus
Equating coefficients of (1/
2
)
n-1
in (E.1) and (E.2):
In most cases,
(E.2) 0 ...
1 1
...
1 1 1 1 1
...
1 1 1 1
1
2 2 2
2
2
1
2 2 2 2
2
2 2
1
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + +
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|

n
n
n
n
e e e e e e e e e e e
n 2 22 1 11
2 2
2
2
1
m ... m m
1
...
1 1
nn
n
a a a + + = + + +
e e e
n 2,3,..., i ,
1 1
2
1
2
= <<
e e
i
38
Thus
Can also be written as
where
in
=(1/a
ii
m
i
)
1/2
=(k
ii
/m
i
)
1/2
formula) s ' (Dunkerley ...
1
2 22 1 11
2
m a m a m a
nn
i
+ + + ~
e
2 2
2
2
1
2
1
...
1 1 1
nn n n i
e e e e
+ + + ~
39
Example 1
Estimate the fundamental natural
frequency of a simply supported beam
carrying 3 identical equally spaced
masses, as shown below.
40
Solution
m
1
=m
2
=m
3
=m
EI
l
a
EI
l
a a
3
22
3
33 11
48
1
,
256
3
= = =
3
1
3 3
2
1
75375 . 4
04427 . 0
256
3
48
1
256
3 1
ml
EI
EI
ml
EI
ml
~
=
|
.
|

\
|
+ + ~
e
e
41
Example 2
Estimate the fundamental frequency of the
beam shown using Dunkerleys formula for
the following data: m
1
=m
3
=5m, m
2
=m.
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
Rayleighs Method
Based on Rayleighs Principle
Kinetic and potential energies of an n DOF
discrete system:
Assume harmonic motion to be
where is the mode shape and is the natural
frequency
| | | |x k x V x m x T
T T

2
1
,
2
1
= =
t X x e cos

=
X

50
Maximum KE:
Maximum PE:
For a conservative system, T
max
=V
max
| |X k X V
T

2
1
max
=
| |
2
max
2
1
e X m X T
T

=
| |
| |
( ) quotient s Rayleigh'
2
X R
X m X
X k X
T
T



= = e
51
Example
Estimate the fundamental
frequency of vibration of the
system as shown. Assume
that m
1
=m
2
=m
3
=m,
k
1
=k
2
=k
3
=k, and the mode
shape is

=
3
2
1
X

52
Stiffness matrix
Mass matrix
Substitute the assumed mode shape into
| |
(
(
(

=
1 1 0
1 2 1
0 1 2
k k
| |
(
(
(

=
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1
m m
( )
( )
( )
m
k
m
k
m
k
X R 4629 . 0 2143 . 0
3
2
1
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1
3 2 1
3
2
1
1 1 0
1 2 1
0 1 2
3 2 1
2
= =

(
(
(

(
(
(

= = e e

53
Fundamental Frequency of Beams and Shafts
Static deflection curve is used to approximate the
dynamic deflective curve.
Consider a shaft carrying several masses as shown
below.
54
Potential energy of the system is strain energy of the
deflected shaft, which is the work done by the static
loads.
For free vibration, max kinetic energy due to the masses
is
Equating Vmax and Tmax,
( ) + + =
2 2 1 1 max
2
1
gw m gw m V
( ) + + =
2
2 2
2
1 1
2
max
2
w m w m T
e
( )
( )

+ +
+ +
=
2
2 2
2
1 1
2 2 1 1
w m w m
w m w m g
e
55
Example
Estimate the fundamental frequency of the
lateral vibration of a shaft carrying 3 rotors
(masses), as shown below with m
1
=20kg,
m
2
=50kg, m
3
=40kg, l
1
=1m, l
2
=3m, l
3
=4m and
l
4
=2m. The shaft is made of steel with a solid
circular cross section of diameter 10cm.
56
The deflection of the beam shown below due to
a static load P is given by
( )
( )
( )
| |

s s +

s s
=
l x a lx x a
EIl
x l Pa
a x x b l
EIl
Pbx
x w
; 2
6
0 ;
6
2 2
2 2 2
57
Deflection due to m
1
At the location of m
1
:
At the location of m
2
:
At the location of m
3
:
( )( )( )
( )
( )
EI EI
w
74 . 529
1 81 100
10 6
1 9 81 . 9 20
'
1
=

=
( )( )( )
( )
( )( ) | |
EI EI
w
06 . 1236
4 10 2 16 1
10 6
6 1 81 . 9 20
'
2
= +

=
( )( )( )
( )
( )( ) | |
EI EI
w
3 . 621
8 10 2 64 1
10 6
2 1 81 . 9 20
'
3
= +

=
58
Deflection due to m
2
At the location of m
1
:
At the location of m
2
:
At the location of m
3
:
( )( )( )
( )
( )
EI EI
w
15 . 3090
1 36 100
10 6
1 6 81 . 9 50
' '
1
=

=
( )( )( )
( )
| |
EI EI
w
6 . 9417
16 36 100
10 6
4 6 81 . 9 50
' '
2
=

=
( )( )( )
( )
( )( ) | |
EI EI
w
5232
8 10 2 64 16
10 6
2 4 81 . 9 50
' '
3
= +

=
59
Deflection due to m
3
At the location of m
1
:
At the location of m
2
:
At the location of m
3
:
( )( )( )
( )
( )
EI EI
w
6 . 1242
1 4 100
10 6
1 2 81 . 9 40
' ' '
1
=

=
( )( )( )
( )
| |
EI EI
w
6 . 4185
16 4 100
10 6
4 2 81 . 9 40
' ' '
2
=

=
( )( )( )
( )
( )
EI EI
w
48 . 3348
64 4 100
10 6
8 2 81 . 9 40
' ' '
3
=

=
60
Total deflections of m
1
,m
2
and m
3
:
EI
w w w w
EI
w w w w
EI
w w w w
78 . 9201
26 . 14839
49 . 4862
' ' '
3
' '
3
'
3 3
' ' '
2
' '
2
'
2 2
' ' '
1
' '
1
'
1 1
= + + =
= + + =
= + + =
61
Substituting into
For the shaft, E=2.07x10
11
N/m
2
and I=(0.1)
4
/64 m
4
Hence =28.4482 rad/s
( )
( )
,
2
2 2
2
1 1
2 2 1 1

+ +
+ +
=
w m w m
w m w m g
e
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
EI
EI
028222 . 0
78 . 9201 40 26 . 14839 50 49 . 4862 20
78 . 9201 40 26 . 14839 50 49 . 4862 20 81 . 9
2 2 2
=
+ +
+ +
= e
62
Holzers Method
A trial-and-error scheme to find natural
frequencies of systems
A trial frequency is first assumed, and a
solution is found when the constraints are
satisfied.
Requires several trials
The method also gives mode shapes
63
Holzers Method: Torsional Systems
Consider the undamped torsional semidefinite system
shown below.
Equations of motion
( )
( ) ( )
( ) 0
0
0
2 3 2 3 3
3 2 2 1 2 1 2 2
1 2 1 1 1
= +
= + +
= +
u u u
u u u u u
u u u
t
t t
t
k J
k k J
k J



64
Since the motion is harmonic,
i
=
i
cos(t+)
Summing these equations gives
This states that the sum of the inertia torques of the
system must be zero.
The trial freq must satisfy this requirement.
( )
( ) ( )
( )
2 3 2 3 3
2
2 1 1 2 1 1 2 2
2
2 1 1 1 1
2
O O = O
O O + O O = O
O O = O
t
t t
t
k J
k k J
k J
e
e
e
0
3
1
2
= O

= i
i i
J e
65

1
is arbitrarily chosen as 1.
Substitute these values into to see
whether the constraints are satisfied.
If not, repeat the process with a new trial value of .
These equations can be generalized for a n-disc
system as follows:
( )
2 2 1 1
2
2
2 3
1
1 1
2
1 2
, O + O O = O
O
O = O J J
k k
J
t t
e e
0
3
1
2
= O

= i
i i
J e
0
1
2
= O

=
n
i
i i
J e
n i J
k
i
k
k k
ti
i i
, , 3 , 2 ,
1
1
1
2
1
= |
.
|

\
|
O O = O

e
66
The graph below plots the torque M
t
applied at the last
disc against the chosen .
The natural frequencies are the at which M
t
=0.
The amplitudes
i
(i=1,2,,n) are the mode shapes of
the system
67
Example
The arrangement of the compressor, turbine and
generator in a thermal power plant is shown
below. Find the natural frequencies and mode
shapes of the system.
68
69
M
t3
is the torque to the right
of the generator, which must
be zero at the natural
frequencies.
Closely-spaced trial values
of are used in the vicinity
of M
t3
=0 to obtain accurate
values of the 1
st
two flexible
mode shapes, as shown.
70
Holzers Method: Spring-Mass Systems
Holzers method is also applicable to vibration analysis of spring-
mass systems.
Equations of motion:
For harmonic motion, x
i
(t)=X
i
cost where X
i
is the amplitude of mass
m
i
. Thus
( )
( ) ( )

0
0
3 2 2 1 2 1 2 2
2 1 1 1 1
= + +
= +
x x k x x k x m
x x k x m
( )
( ) ( ) ( )

3 2 2 1 1
2
3 2 2 1 2 1 2 2
2
2 1 1 1 1
2
X X k X m X X k X X k X m
X X k X m
+ = + =
=
e e
e
71
The resultant force applied to the last (nth) mass can be
computed as follows:
Repeat for several other trial frequencies .
Plot a graph of F vs . The natural frequencies are those
that give F=0.
( )
n i X m
k
X X
X m X m
k
X X
k
X m
X X
i
k
k k
i
i i
,..., 3 , 2 ,
1
1
1
2
1
2 2 1 1
2
2
2 3
1
1 1
2
1 2
= |
.
|

\
|
=
+ =
=

e
e
e

=
=
n
i
i i
X m F
1
2
e
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
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82
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84
85
86
87