Dynamics of Structure

Lecture 3: Free Vibration

Department of Civil Engineering

Lecturer: Meta Soy
Email: msoy@paragoniu.edu.kh
1. Introduction

Equation of motion

Damping External dynamic

excitation

“Free Vibration” ??

A structure is said to be undergoing

free vibration when it is disturbed
from static equilibrium position and
then allowed to vibrate without any
external dynamic excitation.
2. Undamped Free Vibration

Equation of motion

Initial condition:

Initial displacement Initial Velocity

DE Solution

Where
Experiment on Vibration Response

Aluminum
model

Plexiglass
model

Simple
harmonic
motion
Period T, Frequency f, and circular frequency ω

Natural period of vibration

Natural frequency of vibration

Natural circular frequency of

vibration
Natural period of vibration

Natural frequency of vibration

Natural circular frequency of

vibration

The natural vibration properties ωn , Tn, and fn depend on the mass

and stiffness of the structure.

Amplitude of the motion

“Natural Frequency” ??
The frequency at which a system oscillates when not subjected to a
continuous or repeated external force. (natural properties of the
system)
Lets considering the previous one-story frame:

ρ is the beam-to-column stiffness

ratio.
3. Viscously Damped Free Vibration

Equation of motion

Dividing by m gives:

Damping ratio (zeta)

ζ = Damping ratio (zeta)
ccr = Critical damping coefficient
c = Damping constant
Where (considering the energy
dissipated in a cycle of free
vibration)
Types of Motions
What happens when ζ < 1 or c < ccr ? Underdamped
What happens when ζ = 1 or c = ccr ? Critical damped
What happens when ζ > 1 or c > ccr ?
Overdamped

Most of the structure of interest-buildings, bridges, dams, nuclear power

plants, offshore structures, etc.- fall into the underdamped system.
(Their damping ration is less than 10%)
Underdamped Systems

Initial condition:

Initial displacement Initial Velocity

DE Solution

Where

What happens when ζ = 0??

Underdamped Systems

The envelope
curves

Natural period of damped vibration and natural period relation:

The envelop curves equations are given as:

Where,
The effect of damping ratio to the natural frequency and natural period
can be negligible when the damping ratio is less than 20%.
Decay of Motion
Concerning the relation between the ratio of two successive
peaks of damped free vibration and the damping ratio.

The relationship is given as:

Or,
Decay of Motion
Let δ is the logarithmic decrement (The natural logarithm ratio)

Thus, when ζ is small

The ratio of the displacement at

time t to its value a full vibration
period TD is independent of t.
Decay of Motion
Over j cycles the motion decreases
from u1 to uj+1. The ratio is given as:

Thus,

To get the number of cycles elapsed

for a 50% reduction in displacement
amplitude. The relation is given as:
Free Vibration Tests
Free vibration experiments provide one means of determine
the damping.
For the lightly damped system, the damping ratio is given as:
Free Vibration Tests
Example 2.5
4. Energy in Free Vibration
What are the energy input in SDF system?
Kinetic energy Ek and Potential energy (Strain energy Es)

Total Energy:
Energy at time t:

For undamped system:

The total energy is:

For damped system (with viscous damping): The total energy will
decrease over time because of energy dissipated in viscous damping.

Over the time duration 0 to t1, the energy dissipation is given as:

What happens when ?

5. Coulomb-Damped Free Vibration
The damping effect in actual structure is due to serval energy
dissipating mechanism acting simultaneously. The effect is idealize
by equivalent viscous damping.
The approach of idealized viscous damping is not appropriate when
adding special friction devices to structure.

The coulomb damping results from friction against sliding of two dry
surface.