FCE 401 DYNAMICS OF STRUCTURES (SDOF)

TUTORIAL QUESTIONS No. 1 FREE VIBRATION

Q1.

A beam of 1.5m length is simply supported at its ends and carries a mass of 450kg at mid-span. The beam is
rectangular in cross-section, 300mm wide x 50mm deep. The modulus of elasticity E = 70kN/mm2. If the weight
of the beam is ignored, determine:
(i).
The natural angular velocity of the system.
(ii).
The angular frequency of vibration when it has a damping force of 0.25 x the critical value.

Q2.

A body of mass 10kg is hung on a spring of stiffness 1000N/m. It is pulled down 60mm below the position of
static equilibrium and released so that it executes vertical vibrations. There is a viscous damping force of 50Ns/m.
Obtain an expression for the displacement as function of time.

Q3.

An instrument consists essentially of a mass of 100g whose movement is controlled by a spring a viscous damper.
A free, damped vibration of periodic time 0.5s gives the followings for successive displacements on either side of
the equilibrium position at which the reading is 60: 70, 55, 62.5, 58.75, 60.62. Determine:
(i).
The logarithmic decrement,
(ii).
The damping ratio,
(iii).
The natural angular frequency of the system, .
(iv).
The angular frequency of the damped motion, D.
(v).
The stiffness of the spring, k.
(vi).
The force exerted by the damper at a speed of 1m/s, c.

Q4.

A body of mass 5kg is supported on a spring of stiffness 2500N/m. The mass is initially displaced downwards by
100mm from the equilibrium position and the released.
(i).
Determine the expression for the displacement ignoring the effects of air resistance and friction.
(ii).
What will the position and velocity of the mass be 3s from the time of release?

Q5.

A 453g mass attached to a light spring elongates 7.87mm. Determine the natural frequency of the system.

Q6.

A spring mass system k1, m has a natural frequency f1. If a second spring is k2 is added in series with the first
spring, the natural frequency is lowered to 0.5f1. Determine k2 in terms of k1.

Q7.

A machine of mass 2 metric tones is supported on springs which have an equivalent stiffness of 25kN/m. A
dashpot with a damping constant of 1kNs/m is is attached between the machine and the ground parallel with the
springs. The machine is displaced downwards by 15mm and then released. Determine the maximum upwards
displacement from the equilibrium position and the time taken to reach this position.

Q8.

A body of mass 10kg is hung on a spring of stiffness 1.5kN/m. It is pulled down 50mm below the position of static
equilibrium and then released so that it executes vertical vibrations. There is a viscous damping force acting on the
system with a damping ratio of 0.20. Calculate the time taken by the mass to reach the highest position of its
motion after release and the highest distance traveled by the mass above the position of rest.

Q9.

A cantilever beam of length L carries a mass of 150kg at its free end. The beam has a modulus of elasticity E =
210kN/mm2 and a moment of inertia I = 1.60 x 106mm4. The system has a damping coefficient c = 3000Ns/m.
Ignoring the weight of the beam, determine:
(i).
The length of the beam, LC below which oscillatory motion cannot take place.
(ii).
The angular frequency, D and the period of vibration, T D when L = 0.5LC.

Q10.

Determine the natural frequency and period of vibration of a mass m attached to the free end of a light cantilever
beam of length L and flexural rigidity EI. Ignore damping.

Q11.

If the amplitude of free vibration of a system with one degree of freedom decreases by 50% in 3 cycles, what is the
damping coefficient.

Q12.

A wooden beam of length 2m is simply supported at its ends. The beam is rectangular in cross-section. 300mm
wide x 30mm deep. The modulus of elasticity E = 11 x 103 N/mm2. A concentrated mass of 300kg is attached to
the beam at mid-span. Determine the equivalent stiffness of the beam and the natural frequency of the system.
Ignore the weight of the beam and all damping forces.

Q13.

A mass of 25kg is suspended from springs arranged as shown. All springs

are of equal stiffness with a value of 2N/mm. The mass is pulled down
100mm and then released to vibrate freely. A careful observation of the
motion revealed that the mass completed 135 up and down motions in one
minute. Determine:

(i).
(ii).
(iii).
(iv).

Q14.

Q15.

The effective stiffness of the springs.

The angular frequency of the motion in cycles per second.
The damping ratio of the system.
The maximum speed of the mass.

The beam shown in has one end built-in and one end free. The beam
projects over a cantilever span of 2m. The beam has a unit mass of
23.07kg/m, a moment of inertia in the vertical direction, I = 4.86 x 10 6
mm4, and a modulus of elasticity, E = 205kN/mm2. When the end of the
beam is pulled down by 10mm and released the beam vibrates and attains
a maximum displacement above its initial position of rest of 8.6mm,
reducing by 10% every third peak above the initial position of rest.
Determine the inherent resistance to vibratory motion in the system in
N/ms-1.

k1

k2
k3
m

2m

A frame ABCD is built in at A and D. Column AB is of height 2m and column CD is of height 3m. The beam BC
is of length 4m. The frame is of steel of modulus of elasticity 210kN/mm 2 and has other properties as listed below:
Unit mass of beam, qb
= 25.2 kg/m.
Unit mass of columns, qc
= 23.0 kg/m.
Moment of inertia in the direction of motion of the system, I
= 1250 x 104 mm4.
A force is applied at point B that displaces by 10mm towards C. When the force is removed the frame vibrates and
the following displacements of point B from its position of rest are taken: 10mm, -5.00mm, 2.50mm,m -1.25mm,
0.62mm. Determine:
(i)
The damping force in the system.
(ii)
The equation of the motion of the system.