Natural Frequencies and Normal Modes

From dynamics of MDOF system, the undamped equation of motion for free vibration is given by:

Substitute the given masses to the mass matrix.

M = [4 0 0; 0 4 0; 0 0 2]

M = 3×3
4 0 0
0 4 0
0 0 2

Substitute the given stiffness to the stiffness matrix.

K = [8+6 -6 0; -6 6+4 -4; 0 -4 4]

K = 3×3
14 -6 0
-6 10 -4
0 -4 4

The natural frequencies and normal modes can be solved using eigen value analysis.

[a,D]=eig(K,M)

a = 3×3
-0.1708 0.3115 -0.3518
-0.3461 0.1699 0.3184
-0.4496 -0.4982 -0.2229
D = 3×3
0.4606 0 0
0 2.6820 0
0 0 4.8574

[~,k]=sort(sqrt(diag(D)));

Thus, the natural frequencies and natural periods obtained are summarized below.

Natural Frequency:

w=sqrt(D)

1
 w = 3×3
0.6786 0 0
0 1.6377 0
0 0 2.2040

Natural Period:

T=2*pi./w

T = 3×3
9.2584 Inf Inf
Inf 3.8366 Inf
Inf Inf 2.8509

a1=a(:,1)

a1 = 3×1
-0.1708
-0.3461
-0.4496

a2=a(:,2)

a2 = 3×1
0.3115
0.1699
-0.4982

a3=a(:,3)

a3 = 3×1
-0.3518
0.3184
-0.2229

It is customary to describe the normal modes by assigning a unit value to one of the amplitudes. For this
case, set . Then, solve for other normal modes.

a11=a1(1,1)./a1(3,1)

2
 a11 = 0.3799

a21=a1(2,1)./a1(3,1)

a21 = 0.7697

a31=1

a31 = 1

a12=a2(1,1)./a2(3,1)

a12 = -0.6253

a22=a2(2,1)./a2(3,1)

a22 = -0.3410

a32=1

a32 = 1

a13=a3(1,1)./a3(3,1)

a13 = 1.5788

a23=a3(2,1)./a3(3,1)

a23 = -1.4287

a33=1

a33 = 1

Mode 1:

Mode 2:

Mode 3:

3
 Normalization

a=[];
a(:,1)=[a11,a21,a31]

a = 3×1
0.3799
0.7697
1.0000

a(:,2)=[a12,a22,a32]

a = 3×2
0.3799 -0.6253
0.7697 -0.3410
1.0000 1.0000

a(:,3)=[a13,a23,a33]

a = 3×3
0.3799 -0.6253 1.5788
0.7697 -0.3410 -1.4287
1.0000 1.0000 1.0000

aMa=a'*M*a

aMa = 3×3
4.9471 0.0000 -0.0000
0.0000 4.0291 0.0000
-0.0000 0.0000 20.1350

aKa=a'*K*a

aKa = 3×3
2.2784 -0.0000 -0.0000
-0.0000 10.8060 0.0000
-0.0000 0.0000 97.8045

norm_1=sqrt(aMa(1,1));
norm_2=sqrt(aMa(2,2));
norm_3=sqrt(aMa(3,3));
nom_phi(:,1)=1./norm_1.*a(:,1);
nom_phi(:,2)=1./norm_2.*a(:,2);
nom_phi(:,3)=1./norm_3*a(:,3);
nom_phi

4
nom_phi = 3×3
0.1708 -0.3115 0.3518
0.3461 -0.1699 -0.3184
0.4496 0.4982 0.2229

knorm_1=sqrt(aKa(1,1));
knorm_2=sqrt(aKa(2,2));
knorm_3=sqrt(aKa(3,3));
knom_phi(:,1)=1./knorm_1.*a(:,1);
knom_phi(:,2)=1./knorm_2.*a(:,2);
knom_phi(:,3)=1./knorm_3*a(:,3);
knom_phi

knom_phi = 3×3
0.2517 -0.1902 0.1596
0.5099 -0.1037 -0.1445
0.6625 0.3042 0.1011

Orthogonality Property of Normal Modes

ortho_M = nom_phi'*M*nom_phi

ortho_M = 3×3
1.0000 0.0000 -0.0000
0.0000 1.0000 0.0000
-0.0000 0.0000 1.0000

ortho_K = knom_phi'*K*knom_phi

ortho_K = 3×3
1.0000 -0.0000 -0.0000
-0.0000 1.0000 0.0000
-0.0000 0.0000 1.0000