Imperial College London

Department of Mechanical Engineering

ME3 Machine System Dynamics

Vibration Tutorial 2: Continuous systems.

Use Matlab to solve the equations.
1. A helicopter rotor blade may be regarded as a uniform beam which is simply
supported at the hub end and free at the other end. The equivalent uniform
beam is 4.57 m long, has a second moment of area 8.33 x 10 -8 m4 and a cross-
sectional area of 2.9 x 10 -3 m2. It is made from aluminium alloy E = 68.9 x 10 9
N/m2 and density is 2.63 x 10 3 kg/m3.
Estimate the natural frequencies of transverse vibration in the first and second
non-zero modes.

Explain why in practice the end conditions of the real rotor must be different from
those of the model. How will this difference affect the natural frequencies ?
( 3.23 Hz, 10.4 Hz)

2. A solid shaft AB, length L, shear modulus G, density ρ and second moment of
area J is supported in frictionless bearings and is coupled at end B to a solid disc
of moment of inertia I. End A of the shaft is free of any connection or restraint
to rotation. Show that the frequency equation for torsional oscillations of the
system is given by:
Tan λL = - I ω2/GJλ where λ2 = ω2 (ρ/G)

How do the natural frequencies change as the inertia I is increased? Sketch the
first mode shape of the system (excluding the rigid body mode) and compare this
with that for a shaft without added inertia.

3. One technique to control the vibration of large turbine blades is to connect the
tips of adjacent blades together with a shroud band. This band restricts the
motion of the blades.
Root Shroud
Fixing Blades band

Figure 1.
A representative model for vibration analysis of such a blade may be obtained by
considering the blade clamped at the root and pinned at the tip. Figure 1 .

a. Derive the frequency equation for a clamped - pinned uniform beam of length
L, and section properties given by (EI/ρA).

b Obtain an approximate value for the lowest natural frequency of the beam.
Hence indicate the percentage increase in the fundamental frequency of a
uniform cantilever beam when its free end is restrained by a pin joint.
tan λL = tanh λL .
ME3 MSD Tutorial Sheet 2 FC page 1 of 2
4. Figure 2 shows a uniform rotor with two discs A and B rigidly attached to it.
Disc A has a 50 gm mass attached 20 cm from the centre. Disc B has a 40 gm
mass attached 35 cm from the centre and 180o out of phase with that of disc A.
Distances shown in the figure are in cm.

(i) Determine the static out-of-balance force and the dynamic out-of-balance
moment about the mid-point of the shaft when the rotor runs at 2000 rpm and
10000 rpm.

C A D
B B

d15 25 A

60

Figure 2 Figure 2a

The rectangular planes C and D in the diagram represent two balancing planes
on the rotor where balancing masses can be added at a 18 cm radius.

(i) 175.5 N out of balance force, 127.6 Nm out of balance moment at 2000 rpm.
4386.5 N out of balance force, 3191.3 Nm out of balance moment at 10000 rpm.

(ii) The mass on disc B is moved to be 135 o out of phase with that on disc A as
shown in figure 2a.

Determine the magnitude and location (angle relative to mass on A) of two

masses which, if placed on the balancing planes, would bring the rotor into
perfect balance.

(ii) plane C 29.6 gm at 141.8 o rel to mass A; plane D 43.2 gm at 58 o rel to mass
A, both angles clockwise from A viewed from end C .

5. Estimate the first critical speed for a solid circular steel rotor of length 60 cm,
diameter 10 mm, running in short bearings, and with a uniform disc of mass 0.3
kg mounted at mid-span.
If the disc has an eccentricity of 1mm at zero speed, and the rotor has an
internal damping ratio ζ of 0.05, estimate the radius of the eccentric motion when
the rotor runs at 2400 rpm, and at the critical speed.

2040 rpm , orbit radius : 3.45 mm at 2400 rpm and 10 mm at critical speed.
(magnification of 10 from static eccentricity )

ME3 MSD Tutorial Sheet 2 FC page 2 of 2