Mathematical Modelling of Mechanical Systems

Vidhya Ragesh
06-02-2014

Outline of this
Lecture

Part-I: Laplace Transform

Part-II: Transfer Function
Part-III: Translational Mechanical System

Overview
The transfer function of a process
shows the characteristics of its
dynamic behavior assuming a
linear representation of the
process.

What is a Transfer Function?

Given a linear system, then the transfer function,
G(s), of the system is the ratio of the transform of
the output to the transform of the input.
Examine the diagram
In this system, we have the following:
The system is linear.
The input is c(t), and the transform of the input is C(s).
The output is y(t), and the transform of the output is
Y(s).

Then, the transfer function is given by:

G(s) = Y(s)/C(s)
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Basic Types of Mechanical

Systems
Translational
Linear Motion

Rotational
Rotational Motion

Part-I

TRANSLATIONAL MECHANICAL
SYSTEMS
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Basic Elements of Translational Mechanical Systems

i)

ii)

iii)

Translational
Spring

Translational
Mass

Translational
Damper

Translational Spring
A translational spring is a mechanical
element that can be deformed by an
external force such that the deformation is
directly proportional to the force applied to
it.
i)

Translational
Spring

Circuit Symbols

Translational Spring

Translational Spring
If F is the applied force
x2

Then x1

x1

x 2if 0
is the deformation

Or ( x1 x 2 )

is the deformation.

The equation of motion is given as

F k ( x1 x2 )
Where k
N/m

is stiffness of spring expressed in

F
F

Translational Mass
Translational Mass is an
inertia element.

ii)

Translational
Mass

A
mechanical
system
without mass does not
exist.
If a force F is applied to a
mass and it is displaced to
x meters then the relation
b/w
force
and
displacements is given by
Newtons law.
F Mx

x(t )
F (t )

Translational Damper
When the viscosity or drag
is not negligible in a
system, we often model
them with the damping
force.
All the materials exhibit
the property of damping
to some extent.
If damping in the system
is not enough then extra
elements (e.g. Dashpot)
are added to increase

iii)

Translational
Damper

Common Uses of Dashpots

Door Stoppers

Bridge Suspension

Vehicle Suspension

Flyover Suspension

Translational Damper

F Cx

F C ( x 1 x 2 )

Where C is damping coefficient (N/ms-1).

Modelling a simple Translational

System

Example-1: Consider a simple horizontal spring-mass

system on a frictionless surface, as shown in figure
below.

mx kx
or

mx kx 0
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Example-2
Consider the following system (friction is
negligible)
k

Free Body
Diagram

fk
F

fM

fM
Where f k and
are force applied by the
spring and inertial force respectively.

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Example-2
fk
F

fM

F fk fM

Then the differential equation of the system is:

F Mx kx
Taking the Laplace Transform of both sides
and ignoring initial conditions we get
F (s ) Ms 2 X (s ) kX (s )

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Example-2
F (s ) Ms 2 X (s ) kX (s )
The transfer function of the system is
X (s )
1

F (s ) Ms 2 k

if
M 1000kg
k 2000 Nm 1
X (s )
0.001
2
F (s ) s 2
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Example-2
X (s )
0.001
2
F (s ) s 2

The pole-zero map of the system is

Pole-Zero Map

40
30

Imaginary Axis

20
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
-1

-0.5

0
Real Axis

0.5

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Example-3
Consider the following system
k

M
C

Free Body
Diagram

fk
F

fC
fM

F fk f M fC
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Example-3

ifferential equation of the system is:

F Mx Cx kx

king the Laplace Transform of both sides and ignorin

tial conditions we get

F (s ) Ms 2 X (s ) CsX (s ) kX (s )
X (s )
1

F (s ) Ms 2 Cs k
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Example-3
X (s )
1

F (s ) Ms 2 Cs k

if

1.5

M 1000kg
C 1000 N / ms 1

1
Imaginary Axis

k 2000 Nm 1

Pole-Zero Map

0.5
0
-0.5
-1

X (s )
0.001
2
F (s ) s s 1000

-1.5
-2
-1

-0.5

0.5

Real Axis

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Example-4
Consider the following system

Free Body Diagram (same as example3)

fk
F

fB

fM

F fk fM fB

X (s )
1

F (s ) Ms 2 Bs k
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Example-5
Consider the following system
x2
x1 k

Mechanical Network
x1
F

x2
M

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Example-5
Mechanical Network
x1
F

x2
M

At node x1

F k ( x1 x 2 )
At node x 2

0 k ( x 2 x1 ) Mx2 Bx 2
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Example-6

nd the transfer function X2(s)/F(s) of the following syste

M1

M2

Example-7
x1
B3

f (t )

x2

M1

B4

M2
B1

B2

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Example-8
Find the transfer function of the mechanical
translational system given in Figure-1.
Free Body Diagram

fk

fB

Figure-1

M
f (t )

f (t ) f k f M f B

fM

X (s )
1

F (s ) Ms 2 Bs k

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Example-9

Restaurant plate dispenser

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Example-10

nd the transfer function X2(s)/F(s) of the following syste

Free Body Diagram

f k1 f k f B
2

M2
k2

F (t ) f M 2

f k1

fB

M1
f M1

F (t ) f k1 f k 2 f M 2 f B

0 f k1 f M 1 f B
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Example-11

x1
u(t )

x2
k1

B1

x3
B4

B3

M1

k2

B2

M2

k3

B5

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Example-12: Automobile
Suspension

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Automobile Suspension

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Automobile Suspension
mxo b( x o x i ) k ( xo xi ) 0

(eq .1)

mxo bx o kxo bx i kxi

eq. 2

king Laplace Transform of the equation (2)

ms X o (s ) bsX o (s ) kX o (s ) bsX i (s ) kX i (s )

X o (s )
bs k

X i (s ) ms 2 bs k

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Example-13: Train
Suspension

Car Body
Bogie1

Bogie2

Secondar
y

Wheelsets

Suspensio
n
Primary

Bogie
Frame

Suspensio
n

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Example: Train Suspension

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