Engineering Vibration 3:

Torsional Vibration
Prepared by:
R.Tavares, RME

TORSIONAL VIBRATION
Consider:
where: θ = angular position of the disc at any instant corresponding to
the angle of twist of the rod
k = T = torque necessary to produce an angle of twist of the shaf

l
π d4 G
For one radian: k= (1)
32l
For any angle of twist, θ, during vibration, the torque in the shaf:
θ T =kθ (2)

Recall for a motion of a body with respect to an immovable axis: “The moment of inertia of the body
with respect to an immovable axis multiplied with the angular acceleration is equal to the moment of
the external forces acting on the body with respect to the axis of rotation.”

… the moment is equal and opposite to the torque kθ acting on the shaf….

I θ́=−kθ (a)

where: I = moment of inertia of the disc with respect to the axis

of rotation
θ́ = angular acceleration of the disc

2 k
Let: p= (b)
I

Equation (a) becomes: θ́+ p2 θ=0 ( c ) which is the same equation for a vibrating body with the
solution
θ= A sin pt + B cos pt
• Period of Torsional Vibration, τ

• Frequency, f
τ=
2π
p
=2 π
I
k√ (3)

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 1 1
f= =
τ 2π √ k
I
(4)

Moment of Inertia of Circular Disc of Uniform Thickness and Diameter D

W D2
I= substitute to equations (3) and (4)
8g

τ =2 π
√ 4 WL D 2
4
πg d G
(5)

f=
1
2π √ πg d 4 G
4 WL D
2
(6)

Consider a shaf with sections of different diameter and length:

Reduced to an equivalent shaf having a constant diameter:

If torque Mt is applied to this shaf,

θ=θl 1+ θ2 d
1 1
32 M t L1 32 M t L2
θ= +
π d 14❑ G π d 2❑4 G
l d
2 2

L1 + L2 ¿
which becomes: 32 M t
θ= 4
¿
π d 1❑ G
L1 + L2 ¿
where: = reduced length of the compound shaf
L=¿

The shaf of length L and a diameter d1 has the same spring constant as the compound shaf and is an
equivalent shaf.
• For Shafs with Different Diameters and Lengths
d 4
¿
dn (7)
l=l n ¿

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Application: A propeller shaf with the propeller on one end and the engine in the other.

When the applied torques are suddenly removed, torsional vibrations will result with the two masses
always rotating in the opposite directions.

Conclusion:
• There is a certain intermediate cross section mn of the shaf that remains immovable during
vibration, called the nodal cross section. Its position will be found from the condition that both
portions of the shaf, to the right and to the lef of the nodal cross section, must have the same
period of vibration, otherwise, the condition that the masses at either ends will always rotate in
opposite direction will not be fulfilled.

Recall: τ =2 π :
√ √ √
I I1
k k1
I I
= 2∨ 1= 2
k2 k1 k2
I 2 l1
I

πd G 4
a I2
Since T =k = = hence, = and a+b=l
32l I 1 l2 b I1
l I2 l I1
yielding: a= and b= when substituted in eqn’s. (3) and (4)
I 1 + I2 I 1+ I 2

τ =2 π
√ I
k
=2 π
√
32l I 1 I 2
π d4 G I 1 I 2

√
4
1 1 π d G I1 I2
f= =
τ 2π 32l I 1 I 2

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Illustrative Sample:
Determine the frequency of torsional vibration of a shaf with two circular discs at the ends. If the
weights of the discs are W1 = 4.45 kN and W2 = 8.9 kN and their outer diameters are D1= 1.27 m and D2 =
1.9 m, respectively. The length of the shaf is l = 3.05 m, its diameter d = 102 mm and the modulus of
rigidity of the material is 83GPa.

Given:

Req’d: frequency, f, of torsional vibration of the given shaf.

Sol’n:
 Calculate the nodal cross section for the larger disc.
l I2
a=
I 1 + I2
W D2
where: I=
8g

2
1.27 ¿
¿
1.9 ¿2
¿
2
which would yield: 1.27 ¿ +8.9 ¿
4.45¿
3.05(4.45) ¿
l W 1 D 21
a= =¿
W 1 D21 +W 2 D 22

 Solve for the vibratory frequency of the shaf.

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 f=
1
2π √ πg d 4 G
4 WL D
2

kN
0.102 ¿4 m4 83 x 106
m2
¿
1.9 ¿2 m2
¿
4 ( 8.9 ) kN ( 0.557 ) m¿
m
π (9.81) 2 ¿
s
¿
1
f= √¿
2π

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