UE16ME401: Mechanical Vibrations, Unit I and II Assignment I

7th Semester – Academic Year Aug-Dec 2019

UE16ME401: Mechanical Vibrations
Assignment I (Unit I and II)

(Common to Section A, B and C)

Submission Date: 09.10.2019
1. Figure 1 shows a human body and a restraint system at the time of an automobile
collision. Suggest a simple mathematical model by considering the elasticity, mass, and
damping of the seat, human body, and restraints for a vibration analysis of the system

2. Figure 2 shows three-stepped shaft fixed at one end and subjected to a torsional moment
T at the other end. All the steps are made of the same material with shear modulus G.
Find the equivalent spring constant (or stiffness) of the stepped shaft, kteq in the torsional
direction so that T = kteq θ

Fig. 2 A stepped shaft subjected to torsional

Fig. 1 A human body and a restraint system moment

3. A rigid bar pivoted at point O is supporting three masses m1, m2 and m3 as shown in
Figure 3. Assume the location of the equivalent mass to be that of mass m2. If l1 = 1 m,
l2 = 2 m and l3 = 3 m; m1 = 2 kg, m2 = 3 kg and m3 = 4 kg and an equivalent spring of
stiffness 200 N/m is fixed vertically at m2. Find the natural frequency of the system.

Fig. 3 A rigid bar with three masses

1 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Dr. Chandrashekara C V, Professor

UE16ME401: Mechanical Vibrations, Unit I and II Assignment I

4. A rack and pinion arrangement is shown in Figure 4. It is the interest of a designer to

estimate the natural frequency of the pinion considering the rack in place as shown. It is
known that mass of the rack, m = 30 kg, mass polar moment of inertia of the pinion,
Jo = 10 kg-m2 and radius of the pinion, R = 0.15m. Equivalent torsional spring constant at
the centre of the pinion is 26 N-m/rad. Get the equation of motion for the system and
estimate the natural frequency.

Fig. 4 Rack and pinion arrangement

5. A harmonic motion has a frequency of 12 Hz and its maximum velocity is 3 m/s.
Determine it period, amplitude and maximum acceleration.
6. Find the sum of the two harmonic motions ‫ݔ‬ଵ ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ = 2 cosሺ߱‫ ݐ‬+ 0.5ሻ and
‫ݔ‬ଶ ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ = 5 sinሺ߱‫ ݐ‬+ 1ሻ , using trigonometric relations
7. An oscillating system with a natural frequency of 3.98 Hz starts with an initial
displacement of ‫ݔ‬଴ = 10 ݉݉ and an initial velocity of ‫ݔ‬ሶ ଴ = 125 ݉݉/‫ݏ‬.Calculate all the
vibration parameters involved and the time taken to reach the first peak
8. Determine the equation of motion and natural frequency of a simple pendulum with a
spring as shown in Figure 5
9. Determine the equation of motion and natural frequency the system shown in Figure 6.
(Equivalent moment of inertia of the pulley is taken as I0)

Fig. 5 Simple Pendulum System with a spring

Fig. 6 Combined pulley system with a spring-
mass attached

2 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Dr. Chandrashekara C V, Professor

UE16ME401: Mechanical Vibrations, Unit I and II Assignment I

10. The mass of a single degree damped vibrating system is 7.5 kg makes 24 free oscillations
in 14 seconds, when disturbed from its equilibrium position. The amplitude of vibration
reduces 0.25 of its initial value after 5 oscillations. Determine, stiffness of spring,
logarithmic decrement and damping factor
11. Show that the logarithmic decrement is also given by the equation,
1 ‫ݔ‬଴
ߜ = ln
݊ ‫ݔ‬௡
‫ݓ‬ℎ݁‫ ݁ݎ‬xn represents the amplitude after n cycles have elapsed.
12. Write the graphical representation to indicate the variation of the amplitude ratio for an
underdamped harmonically excited vibration system
13. Write any four important characteristic of the magnification factor of an underdamped
harmonically excited vibration system
14. Distinguish between displacement transmissibility and force transmissibility
15. Show that giving excitation to the base is equivalent to applying a harmonic force of
magnitude A to a mss
16. A machine part of mass 4 kg vibrates in a viscous medium. A harmonic exciting force of
40 N acts on the machine and causes resonance amplitude of 15 mm with a period of 0.2
sec. Determine the damping co-efficient. If the system is excited by a harmonic force of
frequency 4 Hz, what will be the percentage increase in the amplitude of forced vibration
when damper is removed?
17. Find the total response of a single-degree-of freedom system with m = 12 kg, c = 22 N-
s/m, k = 5, 000 N/m, ‫ݔ‬଴ = 0.01 ݉ ܽ݊݀ ‫ݔ‬ሶ ଴ = 0 under the condition, an external force
‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ = ‫ܨ‬଴ cos ߱‫ ݐ‬acts on the system with ‫ܨ‬଴ = 100 ܰ ܽ݊݀ ߱ = 10 ‫݀ܽݎ‬/‫ݏ‬
18. Figure 7 shows a simple model of a motor vehicle that can vibrate in the vertical direction
while traveling over a rough road. The vehicle has a mass of 1,200 kg. The suspension
system has a spring constant of 400 kN/m and a damping ratio of ζ = 0.5.If the vehicle
speed is 20 km/hr, determine the displacement amplitude of the vehicle. The road surface
varies sinusoidally with amplitude of Y = 0.05m and a wavelength of 6 m.

Fig. 7 simple model of a motor vehicle

19. An electric motor of mass M, mounted on an elastic foundation, is found to vibrate with a
deflection of 0.15 m at resonance (Figure 8). It is known that the unbalanced mass of the

3 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Dr. Chandrashekara C V, Professor

UE16ME401: Mechanical Vibrations, Unit I and II Assignment I

motor is 8% of the mass of the rotor due to manufacturing tolerances used, and the
damping ratio of the foundation is ζ = 0.025. Determine the following
a. The eccentricity or radial location of the unbalanced mass (e),
b. The peak deflection of the motor when the frequency ratio varies from resonance,
and
c. The additional mass to be added uniformly to the motor if the deflection of the
motor at resonance is to be reduced to 0.1 m.
Assume that the eccentric mass remains unaltered when the additional mass is added to
the motor

Fig. 8 Electrical motor

20. An automobile moving on a rough road, in the form of a sinusoidal surface, is modeled as
a spring-mass system, as shown in Figure 9. The sinusoidal surface has a wave length of
5 m and an amplitude of Y = 1mm. If the mass of the automobile, including the
passengers, is 1,500 kg and the stiffness of the suspension system (k) is 400 kN/m,
determine the range of speed (v) of the automobile in which the passengers perceive the
vibration. Suggest possible methods of improving the design for a more comfortable ride
of the passengers.

Fig. 9

4 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Dr. Chandrashekara C V, Professor

UE16ME401: Mechanical Vibrations, Unit I and II Assignment I

21. An electronic instrument is to be isolated from a panel that vibrates at frequencies

ranging from 25 Hz to 35 Hz. It is estimated that at least 80 percent vibration isolation
must be achieved to prevent damage to the instrument. If the instrument weights 85 N,
find the necessary static deflection of the isolator.
22. An exhaust fan, rotating at 1,000 rpm, is to be supported by four springs, each having a
stiffness of K. If only 10 percent of the unbalanced force of the fan is to be transmitted to
the base, what should be the value of K? Assume the mass of the exhaust fan to be 40 kg.
If the stiffness of the springs is increased by 30%, what would be the percentage of
unbalanced force that transmitted to the base?

5 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Dr. Chandrashekara C V, Professor