Free vibration response due to initial conditions

Solution to the equation of motion of a SDOF system under free vibration

If there is no excitation force then the equation of motion of a SDOF system becomes:
& & M *Y&(t ) + C *Y (t ) + K *Y (t ) = 0 (fv.1)

The above equation of motion is a 2nd degree differential equation with constant coefficients; the solution of the equation is the displacement response Y (t ) , if this is assumed to be: Y (t ) = Ae t (fv.2) Then the velocity and the acceleration responses will be given as: dY (t ) & = Ae t (fv.3) Y (t ) = dt

& dY (t ) & Y&(t ) = = A2 e t dt

(fv.4)

& & Substituting the above functions Y (t ) , Y (t ) and Y&(t ) in the equation of motion (fv.1)

M * A2 e t + C * Ae t + K * Ae t = 0 Dividing everything by Ae t
M *2 + C * + K * = 0 characteristic equation The solution to this equation is

(fv.5)

(fv.6)

=
or

C * C *2 4M * K * 2M * C*

* * C* 4M K = * 2M * 4M *2 2M

C*

(fv.7)

* C* K = * 2M * M* 2M

(fv.8)

But if we change the variables of eqn (fv.8) using:

K* = [rad/sec] = undamped circular frequency M*

(fv.9)

C* 2M *

= damping ratio

(fv.10)

J. Enrique Martinez-Rueda

Dynamics of Structures 1

Free vibration response due to initial conditions

Then eqn. (fv.8) can be rewritten as:

= 2 2 2 = 2 1
Now, there are three possibilities for

(fv.11)

case 1. =1.0 i.e., critically damped system

=1 = 2 = - (i.e., the two values of are equal)

(fv.12)

The Theory of Differential Equations (TED) shows that, in this case, the solution is:

Y (t ) = C1e t + C2te t
or or

(fv.13) (fv.14) (fv.15)

Y (t ) = C1e t + C 2te t Y (t ) = C1e t (1 + C2t )

case 2. > 1.0 i.e., overdamped system

1 2 and TED shows the solution is:

Y (t ) = C1e 1t + C2 e 2 t or
Y (t )
t 2 1 = C1e t + 2 1 e

(fv.16)

+ C2

(fv.17)

case 3. < 1.0 i.e., underdamped system

Now the term 2 1 is imaginary and hence 1 and 2 are complex numbers
2 1 = 1 1 2 = i 1 2 = i 1 2 or (fv.18) (fv.19) (fv.20)

= i d

where d = 1 2 [rad/sec] damped circular frequency (d < ) (fv.21) Finally, TED shows that the solution in this case is: Y (t ) = e t (C1 cos d t + C2 sin d t ) (fv.22)

J. Enrique Martinez-Rueda

Dynamics of Structures 2

Free vibration response due to initial conditions

Physical interpretation of the above solutions

1. systems with critical damping ( = 1)

Y(t)
1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

=1

0.2

0.0 0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

2. overdamped systems ( > 1)

Y(t)
2.0

1.5

1.0

>1
0.5

0.0 0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

In both of the above cases: the displacement response Y(t) is characterised by exponential decay with no oscillation in general the theory of systems with 1 is used for the design of shock absorvers or damping mechanisms of doors.
J. Enrique Martinez-Rueda Dynamics of Structures 3

Free vibration response due to initial conditions

3. underdamped systems ( < 1)

Y(t)

Td
infinite number of oscillations (in theory) amplitude of oscillations decay in an exponential fashion in conventional structures is typically assumed to be 2-5% but in special structures it can be as high as 20% the system vibrates at the damped frequency d with a damped period Td :
Td =

[sec]

(fv.23)

For systems with no damping, we define:

T= f =

[sec] = natural period or period of vibration

(fv.24) (fv.25)

1 = [Hertz = cycles/sec ] = natural frequency T 2

The natural period can be seen as the time required by the system to complete a full cycle of vibration.
J. Enrique Martinez-Rueda Dynamics of Structures 4

Free vibration response due to initial conditions

Response of damped SDOF system in free vibration due to initial conditions

The displacement response of this system is given by:
Y (t ) = e t (C1 cos d t + C2 sin d t )

(fv.26)

where C1 & C2 are integration constants that can be found invoking the initial i.e. boundary conditions of the problem. Deriving the above eqn. with respect to time we get
& Y (t ) = e t ( C1 d sin d t + C2 d cos d t ) e t (C1 d cos d t + C2 sin d t ) (fv.27)

Now, let us assume we know the initial conditions (initial displacement Yo and initial & velocity Yo ) of the response Y(t):
Yo = Y(0) at t = 0

(fv.28) (fv.29)

& & Yo = Y (0) at t = 0

Substituting the above initial conditions into eqns (fv.26) and (fv.27) we get:
Yo = 1 (C1 + 0) Yo = C1

(fv.30)

& Y + Yo & Yo = 1(-0 + C2d) - C1 C2 = o

(fv.31)

Hence the displacement response of the system will be:

& Y + Yo sin d t Y (t ) = e t Yo cos d t + o d

(fv.32)

It can be shown that if the initial conditions are invoked for time 0 then the response of the system is given by:
& Y ( ) + Y ( ) sin d (t ) Y (t ) = e (t ) Y ( ) cos d (t ) + d

(fv.33)

J. Enrique Martinez-Rueda

Dynamics of Structures 5