4

The Vibrations of Systems Having

Two Degree of Freedom

4.1. Introduction
Many real systems can be represented by a single degree of freedom
model. However, most actual systems have several bodies and several
restraints and therefore several degrees of freedom. The number of
degrees of freedom that a system possesses is equal to the number of
independent coordinates necessary to describe the motion of the system.
Since no body is completely rigid, and no spring is without mass, every
real system has more than one degree of freedom, and sometimes it is not
sufficiently realistic to approximate a system by a single degree of
freedom model. Thus, it is necessary to study the vibration of systems
with more than one degree of freedom. Each flexibly connected body in a
multi-degree of freedom system can move independently of the other
bodies, and only under certain conditions will all bodies undergo an
harmonic motion at the same frequency. Since all bodies move with the
same frequency, they all attain their amplitudes at the same time even if
they do not all move in the same direction. When such motion occurs the
frequency is called a natural frequency of the system, and the motion is a
principal mode of vibration: the number of natural frequencies and
principal modes that a system possesses is equal to the number of degrees
of freedom of that system. The deployment of the system at its lowest or
first natural frequency is called its first mode, at the next highest or
second natural frequency it is called the second mode and so on. A two
degree of freedom system will be considered initially. This is because the
addition of more degrees of freedom increases the labour of the solution
procedure but does not introduce any new analytical principles. Initially,
we will obtain the equations of motion for a two degree of freedom
model, and from these find the natural frequencies and corresponding
mode shapes. Some examples of two degree of freedom models of
vibrating systems are shown in Figures (4.1a-h).

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

Fig. 4.1a: Linear undamped system, horizontal motion. Coordinates x1

and x2.

Fig. 4.1b: Linear undamped system, vertical motion. Coordinates y1 and

y2.

Fig. 4.1c: Torsional undamped system. Coordinates 1 and 2.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

Fig. 4.1d: Coupled pendulum. Coordinates 1 and 2.

Fig. 4.1e: system with combined translation and rotation. Coordinates x

and .

Fig. 4.1f: Shear frame. Coordinates x1 and x2.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

Fig. 4.1g: Two degree of freedom model, rotation plus translation.

Coordinates y and .

Fig. 4.1g: Two degree of freedom model, translation vibration.

Coordinates x1 and x2.

4. 1. Free Vibration of an Undamped System

Of the examples of two degree of freedom models shown in Figures
(4.1a-h), consider the system shown in Figure (4.1a). If x1 > x2 the FBDs
are as shown in Figure (4.2).

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

k1 x1

k x1 x2

m1

k x1 x2

m1

m2
m2

k 2 x2

m1 x1

m2 x2

(a)
(b)
Fig. 4.2: (a) Applied forces, (b) effective forces.
The equations of motion are therefore,
m1 x1 k1 x1 k ( x1 x2 ) for body 1,........ (4.1)

and
m 2 x2 k ( x1 x 2 ) k 2 x2 for body 2,.......... (4.2)

The same equations are obtained if xl< x2 is assumed because the direction
of the central spring force is then reversed.
Equations (4.1) and (4.2) can be solved for the natural frequencies and
corresponding mode shapes by assuming a solution of the form
x1 A1 sin t and x2 A2 sin t

This assumes that xl and x2 oscillate with the same frequency and are
either in phase or out of phase. This is a sufficient condition to make
a natural frequency.
Substituting these solutions into the equations of motion gives
m1 A1 2 sin t k1 A1 sin t k ( A1 A2 ) sin t
and
m2 A2 2 sin t k ( A1 A2 ) sin t k 2 A2 sin t
Since these solutions are true for all values of t,
A1 ( k k1 m1 2 ) A2 k 0 ......

(4.3) and
A1 k A2 ( k 2 k m2 2 ) 0 ......... (4.4)

A1 and A2 can be eliminated by writing

k k1 m1 2
k
0 .......... (4.5)
k
k k 2 m 2 2
This is the characteristic or frequency equation. Alternatively, we may
write

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

A1 A2 k / ( k k1 m1 2 )
and
A1 A2 ( k 2 k m2 2 ) / k

from ( 4.3)

..... (4.6)
from ( 4.4 )

Thus
k ( k k1 m1 2 ) (k 2 k m2 2 ) k

and
( k k1 m1 2 )(k 2 k m2 2 ) k 2 0 ...... (4.7)

This result is the frequency equation and could also be obtained by

multiplying out the above determinant, equation (4.5).
The solutions to equation (4.7) give the natural frequencies of free
vibration for the system in Figure (4.1a). The corresponding mode shapes
are found by substituting these frequencies, in turn, into either of Eqs.
(4.6).
Consider the case when k1 = k2 = k, and m l = m 2 = m. The frequency
equation is (2 k m 2 ) 2 k 2 0 ; that is,
m 2 4 4mk 2 3k 2 0

or

k m 2 3k 0

Therefore, either m 2 k 0 , or m 2 3k 0
Thus
k
rad / s
m

and 2

3k
rad / s
m

If

k
rad / s , A1 / A2
m

k
m

and if

3k
rad / s , A1 / A2
m

3k
m

This gives the mode shapes corresponding to the frequencies 1 and 2.

Thus, the first mode of free vibration occurs at a frequency 1 / 2 k m Hz
and (A1/A2)I = 1,that is, the bodies move in phase with each other and
with the same amplitude as if connected by a rigid link, Figure (4.3). The

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

second mode of free vibration occurs at a frequency 1 / 2 3k m Hz and

(A1/A2)II = -1 , that is, the bodies move exactly out of phase with each
other, but with the same amplitude, see Figure (4.3).

Fig. 4.3: Natural frequencies and mode shapes for two degree of freedom
translation vibration system. Bodies of equal mass and springs of equal
stiffness.

4. 2. Free Motion
The two modes of vibration can be written
I

x1 A1
sin(1t 1 ) ,
x2 A2

and
II

II

x1
A1
sin( 2t 2 ) ,
x2
A2

where the ratio A1/A2 is specified for each mode.

Since each solution satisfies the equation of motion, the general
solution is

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

II

x1 A1
A1
sin(1t 1 ) sin( 2 t 2 ) ,
x2 A2
A2

where A1, A2, 1 , 2 are found from the initial conditions.

For example, for the system considered above, if one body is displaced a
distance X and released,
x1 (0) X and x2 (0) x1 (0) x 2 (0) 0
where x1 (0) means the value of x1 when t = 0, and similarly for x2 (0) ,
x1 (0) and x 2 (0) .
Remembering that in this system 1 k m , 2 3k m , and
A1
1
A2 1

A1

A2

and

1
2

we can write
x1 sin

k m t 1 sin 3k m t 2 ,

k m t 1 sin 3k m t 2

and
x2 sin

Substituting the initial conditions xl(0) = X and x2(0) = 0 gives

X sin 1 sin 2 ,
and
0 sin 1 sin 2

that is,
sin 1 sin 2 X / 2
The remaining conditions give cos 1 cos 2 0 .
Hence
x1 ( X / 2) cos

m t ( X / 2) cos

3k m t ,

and
x2 ( X / 2) cos

k m t ( X / 2) cos 3k m t

That is, both natural frequencies are excited and the motion of each body
has two harmonic components.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

4. 3. Coordinate Coupling
In some systems the motion is such that the coordinates are coupled in the
equations of motion. Consider the system shown in Figure (4.1e); only
motion in the plane of the figure is considered, horizontal motion being
neglected because the lateral stiffness of the springs is assumed to be
negligible. The coordinates of rotation, , and translation, x, are coupled
as shown in Figure (4.4). G is the centre of mass of the rigid beam of
mass m and moment of inertia I about G.

Fig. 4.4: Two degree of freedom model, rotation plus translation.

The free body diagrams are shown in Figure (4.5); since the weight of the
beam is supported by the springs, both the initial spring forces and the
beam weight may be omitted.

Fig. 3.5: (a) Applied forces. (b) Effective force and moment.
For small amplitudes of oscillation (so that sin ) the equations of
motion are
mx k1 ( x L1 ) k 2 ( x L2 ) ,
and
I k1 ( x L1 ) L1 k 2 ( x L2 ) L2

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

that is,
mx ( k1 k 2 ) x ( k1 L1 k 2 L2 ) 0 ,

and
I ( k1 L1 k 2 L2 ) x ( k1 L12 k 2 L22 ) 0

It will be noticed that these equations can be uncoupled by making

k1L1 = k2L2; if this is arranged, translation (x motion) and rotation (
motion) can take place independently. Otherwise translation and rotation
occur simultaneously.
Assuming x1 A1 sin t and A2 sin t , substituting into
the equations of motion gives
m 2 A1 ( k1 k 2 ) A1 ( k1 L1 k 2 L2 ) A2 0 ,

and
I 2 A2 ( k1 L1 k 2 L2 ) A1 ( k1 L12 k 2 L22 ) A2 0

that is,

A1 k1 k 2 m 2 A2 k1 L1 k 2 L2 0 ,

and
A1 k1 L1 k 2 L2 A2 ( k1 L12 k 2 L22 I 2 ) 0

Hence the frequency equation is

k1 k 2 m 2
k1 L1 k 2 L2
0
k1 L1 k 2 L2 k1 L12 k 2 L22 I 2

4. 4. Forced Vibration
Harmonic excitation of vibration in a system may be generated in a
number of ways, for example by unbalanced rotating or reciprocating
machinery, or it may arise from periodic excitation containing a
troublesome harmonic component.
A two degree of freedom model of a dynamic system excited by an
harmonic force F sin t is shown in Figure (4.6). Damping is assumed to
be negligible. The force has a constant amplitude F and a frequency /2
Hz.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

F sin t

Fig. 4.6: Two degree of freedom model with forced excitation.

The equations of motion are
m1 x1 k1 x1 k ( x1 x 2 ) F sin t

and
m 2 x2 k ( x1 x 2 ) k 2 x 2

Since there is zero damping, the motions are either in phase or out of
phase with the driving force, so that the following solutions may be
assumed:
x1 A1 sin t and x2 A2 sin t
Substituting these solutions into the equations of motion gives
A1 k1 k m1 2 A2 k F
and

A1 k A2 k 2 k m2 2 0

Thus
A1

F k 2 k m 2 2
,

and
A2

Fk
,

where

k 2 k m2 2 k1 k m21 2 k 2 0

and = 0 is the frequency equation.

Hence the response of the system to the exciting force is determined.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

4. 5. The Undamped Dynamic Vibration Absorber

If a single degree of freedom system or mode of a multi-degree of
freedom system is excited into resonance, large amplitudes of vibration
result with accompanying high dynamic stresses and noise and fatigue
problems. In most mechanical systems this is not acceptable.
If neither the excitation frequency nor the natural frequency can
conveniently be altered, this resonance condition can often be
successfully controlled by adding a further single degree of freedom
system. Consider the model of the system shown in Figure (4.7), where k1
and m 1 are the effective stiffness and mass of the primary system when
vibrating in the troublesome mode.
The absorber is represented by the system with parameters k2 and m 2.
From section 4.1.4 it can be seen that the equations of motion are
m1 x1 k1 x1 k 2 ( x1 x 2 ) F sin t , for the primary system
and m 2 x2 k 2 ( x1 x 2 ) ,
for the vibration absorber. Substituting
x1 X 1 sin t and

x 2 X 2 sin t

gives

X 1 k1 k 2 m1 2 X 2 k 2 F ,

k1
F sin t

m1
x1 X 1 sin t

k2
m2

x2 X 2 sin t

Fig. 4.7: System with undamped vibration absorber.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

and X 1 k 2 X 2 k 2 m 2 2 0
Thus
X1

Fk
F k 2 m 2 2
and X 2 2 ,

where k 2 m 2 2 k1 k 2 m1 2 k 22
and = 0 is the frequency equation.
It can be seen that not only does the system now possess two natural
frequencies, n1 and n2 instead of one, but by arranging for k m 2 , Xo
can be made zero.
Thus if k 2 m2 k1 m1 , the response of the primary system at its
original resonance frequency can be made zero. This is the usual tuning
arrangement for an undamped absorber because the resonance problem in
the primary system is only severe when k1 m1 rad/s. This is shown
in Figure (4.8).

X1

F0
k1

n1

n2

Fig. 4.8: Amplitude-frequency response for system with and without

tuned absorber.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

When X 0 , X 2 F / k 2 , so that the force in the absorber spring, k 2 X 2 is

F ; thus the absorber applies a force to the primary system which is
equal and opposite to the exciting force. Hence the body in the primary
system has a net zero exciting force acting on it and therefore zero
vibration amplitude.
If an absorber is correctly tuned 2 k 2 m2 k1 m1 , and if the mass
ratio m2/m1, the frequency equation = 0 is

4
2

m 2
2
1 0
m1 n

This is a quadratic equation in

n

m m
1 2 1
2

. Hence

m2 m2 m1 2

....... (4.8)

m1 2

Eq. (4.8) gives us the frequency of tuned system by finding the roots of
the equation with m2/m1 as the parameter. There are two resonant
frequencies the steady state response of the system is just like shown in
Figure (4.8). Figure (4.9) gives the plot of mass ratio m2/m 1 versus
resonance frequency.

Frequency ratio n/

n2

n1

Frequency ratio m2/m1

Fig. 4.9: Effect of absorber mass ratio on natural frequencies.

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

4. 6. Semidefinite Systems
Semidefinite systems are also known as unrestrained or degenerate
systems. Two examples of such systems are shown in Figure (4.10). The
arrangement in Figure (4.10a) may be considered to represent two
railway cars of masses m 1 and m2 with a coupling spring k. The
arrangement in Fig. (4.10c) may be considered to represent two rotors of
mass moments of inertia J1 and J2 connected by a shaft of torsional
stiffness kt.

(a)

(b)

(c)
Fig. 4.10: Semidefinite systems.

In a railway train, the rail cars can be modeled as lumped masses and the
couplings between the cars as springs. A train rolling down the track can
be considered as a system having rigid-body, unrestrained, translational
motion. At the same time, the rail cars can vibrate relative to one another.
The presence of an unrestrained degree of freedom in the equation of
motion changes the analysis. The stiffness matrix of an unrestrained
system will be singular. One of the natural frequencies of an unrestrained
two-degree-of-freedom system will be zero. For such a system, the
motion is composed of translation and vibration.
The analysis of unrestrained systems is presented by considering the
system shown in Figure (4.10a). The equations of motion of the system
can be written as (Figure (4.10b)):
m1 x1 k ( x1 x 2 ) 0
m 2 x2 k ( x 2 x1 ) 0 . (4.9)

For free vibration, we assume the motion to be harmonic:

x1 X 1 sin t and x 2 X 2 sin t ... (4.10)

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

Substitution of Eq. (4.10) into Eq. (4.9) gives

2 k X 1 kX 2 0

kX 1 m 2 2 k X 2 0 ... (4.11)

By equating the determinant of the coefficients of X1and X2 to zero, we

obtain the frequency equation as

2 m1 m 2 2 k m1 m 2 0 ... (4.12)

from which the natural frequencies can be obtained:

n1 0

and n 2

k m1 m 2
.... (4.13)
m1 m 2

As stated earlier, Eq. (4.13) shows that one of the natural frequencies of
the system is zero, which means that the system is not oscillating. In other
words, the system moves as a whole without any relative motion between
the two masses (rigid-body translation). Such systems, which have one of
the natural frequencies equal to zero, are called semidefinite systems. We
can verify, by substituting into Eq. (4.11), that and are opposite in phase.
There would thus be a node at the middle of the spring.

4. 6. Lagrange's Method
We have learnt in section 4. 3 that if a system has n degree of freedom, it
can be specified by a set of n generalized coordinates. So, the equations
of motion of a vibrating system can often be derived in a simple manner
in terms of generalized coordinates by the use of Lagrange's method.
Lagrange's equations can be stated, for an n degree-of-freedom system, as
d
dt

K .E K .E U

Qi ,
qi
q i
qi

i 1, 2, ........, n

. (4.13)

where q i q i t is the generalized velocity and Qi is the nonconservative

generalized force corresponding to the generalized coordinate qi. The
forces represented by Qi may be dissipative (damping) forces or other
external forces that are not derivable from a potential function. For
example, if Fxk, Fxyk and Fzk represent the external forces acting on the kth
mass of the system in the x, y, and z directions, respectively, then the
generalized force can be computed as follows:

Chapter 4

The Vibrations of Systems Having Two Degree of Freedom

x
y
z
Qi Fxk k F yk k Fzk k
q i
qi
qi
k

... (4.14)

where xk, yk and zk are the displacements of the kth mass in the x, y, and z
directions, respectively. Note that for a torsional system, the force Fxk, for
example, is to be replaced by the moment acting about the x-axis (Mxk),
and the displacement by the angular displacement about the x-axis (xk) in
Eq. (4.14). For a conservative system, Q i = 0, so Eq. (4.13) takes the form
d
dt

K . E K .E U

0,

i
i
i

i 1, 2, ........, n

... (4.15)

Eqs (4.13) or (4.15) represent a system of n differential equations, one

corresponding to each of the n generalized coordinates. Thus the
equations of motion of the vibrating system can be derived, provided the
energy expressions are available.