Dr Hz 

SOLUTION TO Q2 BDA 31103 TEST 2 SEM 2 2016/2017

(a) Equations of motion for the train system

X1 = 1 X2 X3

k1 k2
m1 m2 m3

m1 x1  k1  x1  x2   0 Eqn. [1]

m2 x2  k1  x 2  x1   k 2  x 2  x3   0 Eqn. [2]

m3 x3  k 2  x3  x 2   0 3 Eqn. [3]

Developing expressions for Holzer’s method

For harmonic motion

x1 t   X 1 sin t x 2 t   X 2 sin t x3 t   X 3 sin t

x1 t    2 X 1 sin t x2 t    2 X 2 sin t x3 t    2 X 3 sin t

Substituting xi t  and xi t  into Eqn. [1], [2] and [3] accordingly to obtain

 2 m1 X 1  k1  X 1  X 2  Eqn. [4]

 2 m 2 X 2  k1  X 2  X 1   k 2  X 2  X 3  Eqn. [5]

 2 m3 X 3  k 2  X 3  X 2  3 Eqn. [6]

From Eqn. [4],

 2 m1 X 1
X 2  X1  1 Eqn. [7]
k1

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From Eqn. [4] and [5],

k1  X 2  X 1   k1  X 1  X 2 

 2 m 2 X 2   2 m1 X 1  k 2  X 2  X 3 

2
X3  X2  m1 X 1  m2 X 2  1 Eqn. [8]
k2

Resultant force applied to the masses

F1   2 m1 X 1 1 Eqn. [9]

F2  F1   2 m2 X 2   2 m1 X 1   2 m 2 X 2 1 Eqn. [10]

F3  F2   2 m3 X 3   2 m1 X 1   2 m 2 X 2   2 m3 X 3 1
Eqn. [11]

11 marks

(b) Expressions needed for computation of natural frequencies and mode shapes by mean of
Holzer’s Method:

X1  1

 2 m1 X 1
X 2  X1 
k1

2
X3  X2  m1 X 1  m2 X 2 
k2

F1   2 m1 X 1

F2  F1   2 m2 X 2   2 m1 X 1   2 m2 X 2

F3  F2   2 m3 X 3   2 m1 X 1   2 m 2 X 2   2 m3 X 3

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Values given are

m1 = 15000 kg, m2 = 10000 kg, m3 = 15000 kg and k1 = k2 = 10000 N/mm

Table for the calculations for the trial frequencies with Δω =10 rad/s, starting from 0.

ω 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
ω2 0 100 400 900 1600 2500 3600
Station 1
X1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
F1 Eqn. [9] 0 1.5×106 6×106 1.35×107 2.4×107 3.75×107 5.4×107
Station 2
X2 Eqn. [7] 1 0.85 0.4 -0.35 -1.4 -2.75 -4.4
F2 Eqn. [10] 0 2.35×106 7.6×106 1.04×107 1.6×106 -3.13×107 -1.04×108
Station 3
X3 Eqn. [8] 1 0.615 -0.36 -1.39 -1.56 0.375 6.04
F3 Eqn. [11] 0 3.27×106 5.44×106 -8.35×106 -3.58×107 -1.72×107 2.22×108

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Plotting the graph of F3 against ω to find the natural frequencies

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From the graph, the plotted line crossed the x-axis at approximately:

ω1 = 0 rad/s, ω2 = 26 rad/s and ω3 = 52 rad/s 3

Since this is approximate method, other values close to 26 rad/s and 52 rad/s can be accepted.

Mode shape for each mode can be obtained using Eqn. [7] and [8],

 2 m1 X 1
X 2  X1 
k1

2
X3  X2  m1 X 1  m2 X 2 
k2

Table for the natural frequencies and its corresponding mode shapes

Mode ω (rad/s) X1 X2 X3
1st 0 1 1 1
2nd 25.8 1 0 -1 3
3rd 51.6 1 -3 1

14 marks

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