LONGITUDINAL NATURAL FREQUENCIES OF RODS

AND RESPONSE TO INITIAL CONDITIONS

Revision B

By Tom Irvine
Email: tomirvine@aol.com

March 24, 2009

____________________________________________________________________

Consider a thin rod.

E, A, m

E is the modulus of elasticity.

A is the cross-section area.
m is the mass per unit length.

The longitudinal displacement u(x, t) is governed by the equation

u 2 u
EA ( x) m( x) (1)
x x t 2

This equation is taken from Reference 1.

For a uniform cross-section, the governing equation simplifies to

2 u 2 u
EA ( x) m( x) (2)
x 2 t 2

Consider a beam with uniform mass density. The governing equation simplifies to

2 u 2
u
(3)
x 2 E t 2
where
is the mass per unit volume.

1
Let

E
c (4)

Note that c is the longitudinal wave velocity. Substitute equation (4) into (3).

2 u 1 2 u
(5)
x 2 c 2 t 2

Separate the variables. Let

u( x, t ) U( x)T(t ) (6)

Substitute equation (6) into (5).

2 1 2
U( x)T(t ) U( x)T(t ) (7)
x 2 c 2 t 2

Perform the partial differentiation.

1
U ( x)T(t ) 2 U( x)T ( t ) (8)
c

Divide through by U(x)T(t).

U ( x) 1 T ( t )
(9)
U( x) c 2 T(t )

U ( x) T ( t )
c2 (10)
U( x) T(t )

Each side of equation (10) must equal a constant. Let be a constant.

U ( x) T ( t )
c2 2 (11)
U( x ) T(t )

2
The time equation is

T ( t )
2 (12)
T(t )

T ( t ) 2 T(t ) (13)

T ( t ) 2 T(t ) 0 (14)

Propose a solution

T(t ) a sin t b cos t (15)

T ( t ) a cos t b sin t (16)

T ( t ) a 2 sin t b 2 cos t (17)

Verify the proposed solution. Substitute into equation (14).

a 2 sin t b 2 cos t 2 sin t 2 cos t 0 (18)

0=0 (19)

Equation (15) is thus verified as a solution.

There is not a unique , however, in equation (11). This is demonstrated later in the
derivation. Thus a subscript n must be added as follows.

Tn ( t ) a n sin n t b n cos n t (20)

The spatial equation is

U ( x)
c2 2 (21)
U( x)

c 2 U ( x) 2 U( x) (22)

c 2 U ( x) 2 U( x) 0 (23)

3
 2
U ( x) 2 U( x) 0 (24)
c

Equation (24) is similar to equation (14). Thus, a solution can be found by inspection.

x x
U( x) d sin e cos (25)
c c

The slope equation is

x x
U ( x) d cos e sin (26)
c c c

Now consider three boundary condition cases as shown in the following appendices.

REFERENCE

1. L. Meirovitch, Analytical Methods in Vibrations, Macmillan, New York, 1967.

4
 APPENDIX A

Case I. Fixed-Fixed
The left boundary condition is

u(0, t ) 0 (zero displacement) (A-1)

U(0)T( t ) 0 (A-2)

U(0) = 0 (A-3)

The right boundary condition is

u( L, t ) 0 (zero displacement) (A-4)

U( L)T(t ) 0 (A-5)

U( L) 0 (A-6)

Substitute equation (A-3) into (25).

e=0 (A-7)

Thus, the displacement equation becomes

x
U( x) d sin (A-8)
c

Substitute equation (A-6) into (A-8).

L
d sin 0 (A-9)
c

The constant d must be non-zero for a non-trivial solution. Thus,

nL
n , n 1, 2, 3, ... (A-10)
c

The term is given a subscript n because there are multiple roots.

c
n n , n 1, 2, 3, ... (A-11)
L

5
The displacement function the fixed-fixed rod is

x
U n ( x) d n sin n (A-12)
c

n x
U n ( x) d n sin (A-13)
L

Substitute the natural frequency term into the time equation.

nc t n c t
Tn ( t ) a n sin b n cos (A-14)
L L

The displacement function is thus

n x n c t n c t
u( x, t ) d n sin a n sin
L L
b n cos
L
(A-15)
n 1

The coefficients can be simplified as follows

An dn an (A-16)

Bn d n b n (A-17)

By substitution, the displacement equation is

n x n c t n c t
u( x, t ) sin A n sin
L L
B n cos
L
(A-18)
n 1

6
 APPENDIX B
Case II. Fixed-Free
The left boundary conditions is

u(0, t ) 0 (zero displacement) (B-1)

U(0)T( t ) 0 (B-2)

U(0) = 0 (B-3)

The right boundary condition is

u( x, t ) 0 (zero stress) (B-4)
x xL

U ( L)T(t ) 0 (B-5)

U ( L) 0 (B-6)

Substitute equation (B-3) into (25).

e=0 (B-7)

Thus, the displacement equation becomes

x
U( x) d sin (B-8)
c

x
U ( x) d cos (B-9)
c c

7
Substitute equation (B-6) into equation (B-9).

L
d cos 0 (B-10)
c

The constant d must be non-zero for a non-trivial solution. Thus,

n L 2 n 1
, n 1, 2, 3, ... (B-11)
c 2

The term is given a subscript n because there are multiple roots.

2 n 1 c
n , n 1, 2, 3, ... (B-12)
2 L

The displacement function for the fixed-free rod is

x
U n ( x) d n sin n (B-13)
c

2 n 1 x
U n ( x) d n sin (B-14)
2L

Substitute the natural frequency term into the time equation.

2 n 1 c t 2 n 1 c t
Tn ( t ) a n sin b n cos (B-15)
2L 2L

The displacement function is thus

2 n 1 x 2 n 1 c t 2 n 1 c t
u ( x, t ) d n sin a n sin

b n cos



n 1
2L 2L 2L

(B-16)

8
Simplify the coefficients.

2 n 1 x 2 n 1 c t 2 n 1 c t
u ( x, t ) sin A n sin

B n cos



n 1
2L 2L 2L

(B-17)

Now determine the effective mass of the rod for the fundamental mode. The stiffness k
at free end of the fixed-free longitudinal rod is

EA
k (B-18)
L

The formula for the fundamental frequency of a single-degree-of-freedom system is

k
1 (B-19)
m

Solve for the mass m.

k
m (B-20)
12

Substitute the stiffness term from equation (B-18).

EA
m (B-21)
12 L

Add a subscript e to denote that the mass is the effective mass.

EA
me (B-22)
12 L

Calculate the fundamental frequency from equation (B-12).

1 c
1 (B-23)
2 L

1 1 E
1 (B-24)
2 L

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 2 E
2
1 (B-25)
2
4L

Substitute the frequency term from equation (B-25) into (B-22).

4L2 EA
me (B-26)
E 2 L

4L A
me (B-27)
2

Let M be the mass of the rod. The effective mass is

4
me M (B-28)
2

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 APPENDIX C

Case III. Free-Free

The left boundary conditions is

u( x , t ) 0 (zero stress) (C-1)
x x0

U (0)T(t ) 0 (C-2)

U (0) 0 (C-3)

The right boundary condition is

u( x, t ) 0 (zero stress) (C-4)
x x L

U ( L)T(t ) 0 (C-5)

U ( L) 0 (C-6)

Apply equation (C-3) to (25).

d0 (C-7)
Thus
x
U( x) cos (C-8)
c

The slope equation is

x
U ( x) e sin (C-9)
c c

Substitute equation (C-6) into (C-9).

L
e sin 0 (C-10)
c

11
The constant e must be non-zero for a non-trivial solution. Thus,
nL
n , n 1, 2, 3, ... (C-11)
c
The term is given a subscript n because there are multiple roots.
c
n n , n 1, 2, 3, ... (C-12)
L

The displacement function for the free-free rod is

x
U n ( x) e n cos n (C-13)
c

n x
U n ( x) e n cos (C-14)
L

Substitute the natural frequency term into the time equation.

n c t n c t
Tn ( t ) a n sin b n cos (C-15)
L L

The displacement function is thus

n x n c t n c t
u( x, t ) e n cos a n sin
L L
b n cos
L
n 1

(C-16)

Simplify the coefficients.

n x n c t n c t
u ( x, t ) cos A n sin
L L
B n cos
L
n 1

(C-17)

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 APPENDIX D

Fixed-Free Rod Subjected to Initial Displacement and Initial Velocity

Recall

x
u ( x , t ) sin n A n sin n t B n cosn t (D-1)
n 1
c

Let

u ( x,0) f ( x ) (D-2)

u ( x,0) g( x ) (D-3)

x
f (x) B n sin nc (D-4)
n 1

x
Premultiply by sin m and integrate.
c

L m x n x
L m x
0 f ( x ) sin
c
dx B n 0 sin

sin dx
c c
(D-5)
n 1

2m 1 c
m , m 1, 2,3,... (D-6)
2 L

13
For m n,

The integral on the right hand side of (D-5) goes to zero. The steps are omitted
for brevity.

For m = n,

L m x L 2 x
0 f (x ) sin c
dx B m sin m dx
0 c
(D-7)

L m x 1 L 2 x
0 f (x ) sin c
dx B m 1 cos m dx
2 0 c
(D-8)

L
L m x 1 c 2 m x
0 f (x) sin c dx 2 B m x 2m sin
c
(D-9)
0

L m x 1 c 2 m L
0 f ( x ) sin
c
dx
2
B m L
2 m
sin
c
(D-10)

2m 1 c
m , m 1, 2,3,... (D-11)
2 L

L m x 1
0 f (x ) sin c
dx B m L
2
(D-12)

2 L x
Bm
L 0
f ( x ) sin m dx
c
(D-13)

14

x
u ( x , t ) n sin n A n cos n t B n sin n t (D-14)
n 1 c

x
g( x ) n sin nc A n (D-15)
n 1

L m x n x
L m x
0 g(x ) sin c dx m A n 0 sin c sin c dx (D-16)
n 1

Equation (D-16) is similar to (D-5).

2 L m x
m L 0
Am f ( x ) sin dx (D-17)
c

Again,

2m 1 c
m , m 1, 2,3,... (D-11)
2 L

15