Chapter six Vibration Control

Introduction:
Defn: The reduction of unwanted vibration in a mechanical or
structural system.
– Isolated system:
• magnitude of the transmitted force is less than the excitation force
– Isolation (presence of elastic element)
• Induces vibration of the machine
Solution
– Use of a Vibration Isolator, which is designed to reduce the
transmitted force to a tolerable level, while keeping the machine
vibration at an acceptable level
– Use of Vibration Absorbers, which consists of a mass connected to
the primary devise using an elastic element (spring).
• Since vibration control often involves modifying parameters to
minimize forces and displacements, all algebra is performed in
terms of system parameters.
Engineering Vibrations 1
• Two classes of problems regarding vibration
isolation
1. Foundation subjected to large forces produced in
equipments
Static Load
• Examples: 1. Forge Hammer
Impulsive Force
Static Load
2. Unbalanced
reciprocating machine Inertia Forces
2. Equipment subjected to large displacements induced by
motion of the foundation.
• Examples:
– Sensitive electronic equipment from harmonic structural
vibrations
– Equipment on a ship from sudden motions due to waves and
rough seas

Engineering Vibrations 2
• 1st case
– Absolute displacement and the transmitted force are
important.
FT  kx  cx
• 2nd case
– relative displacement (due to space limitation) of the
equipment and its absolute acceleration (since it is
directly proportional to the force transmitted to the
mass) are important.
 kz  cz 

x  z  y   2n z  n z  
2
 m
m
x
k c
FT
x  FT   xm
m y

Engineering Vibrations 3
6.1. Vibration Isolators
• When a machine, which causes vibration to the base, is
bolted to the floor, the floor will be subjected to a static
loading equal to the weight of the machine plus a
repeated harmonic loading due to, fore-example, the
rotating unbalance.
• If its magnitude is large enough, the repeated loading can
lead to fatigue damage to the bolts and the structure
also causes unwanted noise.
• Hence, isolating floor from machine (placing it in an
elastic foundation) reduces the magnitude of the
repeating component of the transmitted force.

Engineering Vibrations 4
• Elastic foundation (Rubber) is modeled as a spring
and damper placed in parallel.
Isolation Problem
1. Problem of isolating a source of vibration from its
surrounding is analyzed in terms of reducing the
force transmitted by the source through its
mounting points.
2. Problem of isolating a device from a source of
vibration is analyzed in terms of reducing vibration
displacement transmitted through base motion

Engineering Vibrations 5
• Consider the 1st problem, the force transmitted to
the fixed base (through spring & dashpot)
F (t )  kx(t )  cx(t )
And we know that
x(t )  Aent sin(d t   )  Ao cos(dr t   )
But, in steady state the 1st term decays, hence
x(t )  Ao cos(dr t   )
 x(t )   Aodr sin(dr t   )
 F (t )  Ao k cos(dr t   )  Ao cdr sin(dr t   )........(*)
or F (t )  FT sin(dr t   )
where FT  FoT (r ,  ), T (r ,  ) is the transmissibility ratio.

Engineering Vibrations 6
• FT can be calculated from eqn(*) by considering that the
two terms are 900 out of phase with each other (i.e. two 
vectors)
 FT (vector sum)  (kA0 )2  (cdr A0 )2
 Ao k 2  c 2 dr2
It is already known that
fo
Ao 
      2ndr 
2 2
2 2
n dr

F0
 Ao  k
    2 r 
2 2
1 r 2

1/ 2
 1  2 r 2 
 FT  Fo 
  
 
 1  r 2   2 r 2 
2

 
Engineering Vibrations 7
 1/ 2
 
FT  1   2 r 
2

 T (r ,  )  T .R   
 
Fo  1  r 2 2   2 r 2 
 
• This is the force transmissibility equation which is
identical with the displacement transmissibility ratio of
base excitation.
T (r ,  )
ζ increasing
This curve is used for
designing isolators, i.e.
ζ decreasing
1 to choose ζ and r with in
the available isolator’s
material properties such
1 2 r that T.R is small
Amplification Isolation
occurs (FT> Fo) occurs (FT< Fo)

Engineering Vibrations 8
 m x

k c
y(t)=Ysinωbt

1/ 2
 1  2 r 2 
X 

   ......displacement transmissiblitiy
 
Y  1  r 2   2 r  
2 2
 
1/ 2
 1  2 r 2 
FT
r 2     .....force transmissiblitiy
 
 1  r 2   2 r 2 
2
kY
 

F(t)= Fosinωdrt

m x(t) 1/ 2
 
FT  1   2 r 
2

  .....force transmissibily.
 
Fo  1  r 2   2 r  
2 2
k c
 

Engineering Vibrations 9
Note:
i. Near resonance, the T.R is determined completely by
the value of ζ (damping in the isolator).
ii. In the isolation region the smaller the value of ζ, the
smaller the value of T.R and the better the isolation.
However, viscous damping is still necessary to limit the
amplitude of vibration as the system passes through
resonance.
iii. As r is increased for a fixed ωdr, the value T.R decreases.
This corresponds to increasing the mass or decreasing
the stiffness of the isolator i.e. making the natural
frequency of the machine-isolator system small enough.

Engineering Vibrations 10
• The above theory of vibration isolation is used to design
isolation system to protect structures from damage caused
by moving components in pumps, turbines, compressors,
presses, reciprocating engines, sewing machines and other
industrial components.
• But it can also be used to protect equipment from
unwanted structural vibration.

1   2 r 
2
X b2 X
  2
1  r    2 r  b Y
2 2
Y 2

b2 X
Where 2 is the ratio of the maximum steady-state acceleration of
b Y
the system (mass) to the maximum acceleration of the structure (base).

Engineering Vibrations 11
Special case
• When the amplitude of the excitation force is
proportional to the square of the excitation frequency, as
for the harmonic excitation due to a rotating unbalance.

1   2 r 
2
FT
 T .R 
mo er 1  r    2 r 
2 2 2
2

FT
  r 2
T .R   R(r ,  )
mo en
2

1   2 r 
2

 R(r ,  )  r 2
    2 r 
2 2
1 r 2

This is also identical with the force transmissibility ratio of

'Base Excitation’
Engineering Vibrations 12
 ζ increasing

  0.354

Behaviors of the above graph

1. R (r,ζ) is asymptotic to the line f(r) = 2ζr for large r, i.e.,

r 4 1  (2 r ) 2 .  1
r4
lim R(r ,  )  lim
r  r 
 (1  2r 2
 r 4  (2 r ) .
2
 1
r4

1  (2 r ) 2
 lim  1  (2 r )2
r  1 2 (2 ) 2
4
 2 1 2
r r r

Engineering Vibrations 13
• (2ζr)2 is much greater than 1 for big values of r
lim R(r,  )  1  (2 r )2  (2 r )
r 

2. For ζ<0.354=1 2 2 , R(r,ζ) increases with increasing

r, from 0 at r=0 and reaches a maximum value. R
then decreases & reaches a relative minimum. As
r increases from the value where the minimum
occurs, R grows with out bound and approaches
the asymptotic limit 2ζr.
 The values of r where the maximum and relative
dR by setting
minimum occur are obtained 0 .
dr

 1+ (8ζ 2-1) r2 + 8ζ 2 (2ζ 2 -1)r4 + 2ζ 2r6 = 0 ………(*)

Engineering Vibrations 14
• The above equation is a cubic polynomial in r2. It has
three roots.
– One root is the value of r where the maximum occurs
– Another is the value of r where the relative minimum occurs,
and
– One root is -ve and irrelevant.
• The following figure shows the value of r for which the
minimum occurs as a function of ζ.

Engineering Vibrations 15
 – The following graph as well shows the corresponding value
of R (r,ζ) at its relative minimum.

3. R = 2 for r = 2 for all value of ζ.

4. Eqn.(*) has a double root of r= 2 for ζ<0.354. The
maximum and minimum coalesce for this value of
ζ. For ζ<0.354, R=2 at2r= is an inflection point.
5. For ζ>0.354, eqn.(*) has no positive roots. Thus, R
does not reach a maximum, but grows with out
bound from R = 0 at r = 0.
Engineering Vibrations 16
Practical Aspects of vibration Isolation
• Specifications provided in catalogues of
commercially available isolators include
allowable static deflections.
• If a given system has a minimum required
natural frequency ωn, the required
maximum static deflection of the isolator is:
 st k  mg
g
  st 
n2
• Isolation of low-frequency vibrations requires a
small natural frequency, which leads to a large
isolator static deflection.
Engineering Vibrations 17
• For the case of force transmissibility to the supporting
fixed base
FT 1  (2 r )2

F0 (1  r 2 )2  (2 r )2

• Examination of the transmissibility curve indicates

that for large enough frequency ratio (about r>3) and
small enough damping (ζ<0.2) the T.R value is not
affected by damping.
– Since most springs have very small internal damping
(hysteretic damping less than 0.01), the term (2ζr)2 is
very small. Hence a vibration isolation can be designed
by neglecting the damping even if enough damping is
important when the machine starts up and stops to
avoid (reduce) the resonant amplitude.
Engineering Vibrations 18
 1  (2 r ) 2 1
 T .R   (r  3 and small  )
(1  r )  (2 r )
2 2 2
(1  r ) 2 2

1
 T .R 
r 2 1
This equation is used to construct design charts for use in
choosing vibration isolation pads.
2 n mg k g
Using dr  ,  st    and reduction in
60 k m  st
transmissibility given by R=1-TR (which is called reduction
factor and measures the success of vibration isolation)
dr 2 n 1 2R
r  x 
n 60 k 1 R
m
Engineering Vibrations 19
 60 k 2R
n . .
2 m 1 R
30 g (2  R)

  st (1  R)
2R
 n  29.9093
 st (1  R)
To generate design curves use the log of the equation
1  2R 
log n   log  st  log  29.9093 
2  1 R 
log n
R increases

A linear equation of
the form y=ax+b
log δst

Engineering Vibrations 20
Engineering Vibrations 21
• The vibration of a machine during operation is
calculated by .
X mn2 X 1
  M (r,  ) 
F0 F0 (1  r 2 )2  (2 r ) 2
k
Multiplying both sides by r 2
mdr
2
X 2 r2
  r M (r ,  )  ....................(1)
F0 (1  r )  (2 r )
2 2 2

• Since vibration isolation requires r > 2 and r2M(r,ζ)

decreases and approaches 1 as r increases, the steady-
state amplitude decreases as isolation is improved.
However, for fixed m, Fo, and ωdr the steady-state
amplitude has a lower bound given by:
F0
X ........................(2)
mdr
2

Engineering Vibrations 22
• The above two equations show that if an isolator is
being designed to provide isolation over a range of
frequencies, the steady-state amplitude is greatest at
the lowest operating speed.
• Since vibration isolation requires r > 2 , the speed at
which the maximum vibration amplitude occurs must
be passed during start-up and stopping.
• The maximum vibration amplitude for a fixed ωn is
obtained using:
( at rpeak  1  2 2 )
Fo 1
X max  ...........................(3)
mn2 2 1   2

Engineering Vibrations 23
• The smaller the natural frequency, the larger is the
resonant amplitude. In addition, the larger the damping
ratio, the smaller the resonant amplitude.
Note:
• The above two equation (equation 1 & 3) shows that one
way to reduce the amplitude of vibration during
operation & the resonant amplitude is to increase the
mass of the isolated system.
• Equation (2) also shows that the only way to reduce the
amplitude below a calculated value at a given operating
speed is to increase the system mass.
• Increasing the mass allows a proportional increase in the
stiffness required to achieve sufficient isolation.

Engineering Vibrations 24
6.2. Vibration Absorbers
• Another approach to protect a device from steady-
state harmonic disturbance at a constant frequency.
• Consists of a second mass-spring combination
connected to the primary device to protect it from
vibrating
• Often used on machine that run at constant speed
– Examples: transmission lines, telephone line,
reciprocating machines, compactors
• System change from SDOF to two DOF and the
system will have two natural frequencies.

Engineering Vibrations 25
Engineering Vibrations 26
• Values of the absorber mass & stiffness are chosen
such that the motion of the primary mass is
minimum. F(t)= Fosinωdrt
x(t)
Primary mass

Absorber ka
xa
k/2 k/2
Legs

Table Model

• Equation of motion [Matrix Form]

 m 0   x   k  ka ka   x   Fo sin dr t 
 0 m   x    k      .........(1)
 a  a  a ka   xa  0 

Engineering Vibrations 27
• Let the steady - state solution be:
– x (t) = X sin ωdrt.
– xa(t) = Xa sin ωdrt.
• Substituting in equation 1
 k  ka  mdr
2
 ka  X   Fo 
    sin dr t    sin dr t
  ka ka  madr   X a 
2
0 

X  1  ka  madr
2
ka   F0 
     

 X a  k  ka  mdr
2
ka  madr
2

 ka2   ka k  ka  mdr 
2
0 

X
 ka  madr
2
Fo 
k  
................(2)
 ka  mdr
2
ka  madr
2
 ka2
ka Fo
Xa 
k  
..............(3)
 ka  mdr
2
ka  madr
2
 ka2

Engineering Vibrations 28
• Select ka and ma such that X=0
ka  madr
2
=0
ka
 dr
2
 or ka  madr
2
ma
 Fo  Fo
Hence, Xa   xa (t )  sin dr t
ka ka
• i.e. the absorber mass oscillates at the driving
frequency with amplitude Fo ka where as the
primary mass will not fill any thing.
• Force acting on the absorber mass:
ka X a  ka  Fo ka   Fo

Engineering Vibrations 29
Conclusion:
• When the absorber system’s natural frequency is
tuned to the driving frequency and has reached
steady state, the forces provided by the absorber
mass is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction
to the disturbance force.
• With zero net force acting on the primary mass, it
does not move and the motion is absorbed by
motion of the absorber mass.

Engineering Vibrations 30
Factors affecting the success of vibration absorber.
1. Harmonic Excitation:
• Must be well known and not deviate much
from its constant value.
• If the driving frequency drifts much, the tuning
condition will not be satisfied.
• Danger of shifting of driving frequency to one
of combined systems' resonant frequencies
results in resonance of one of the systems
coordinates

Engineering Vibrations 31
2. Damping: -
• if introduced, equation can not be decoupled
• Magnitude of the displacement of the
primary mass will not be zero
• Desirable only if the frequency range of the
driving force is too wide for effective
operation of the absorber system
3. Absorber design:
• Absorber spring stiffness ka must be capable
of withstanding the full force of the excitation
and hence must be capable of corresponding
deflections.

Engineering Vibrations 32
4. Geometric limitation:
• determines the spring size and deflection as well
as value of the absorber mass
• Incase the driving frequency shift
• Let
ma a
– mass ratio,   , frequency ratio,  
m p
k
– Original natural frequency of primary mass  p 
m
ka
– Natural frequency of the absorbera 
ma
• Combining the above
ka  a2
  2   2
k p

Engineering Vibrations 33
• Substituting in equation (2), then
1  dr a 
2
Xk
 .......(4)
 
Fo 1   2     1       2
 dr a  
2 2
 p 
dr
 
Xk
Fo   0.25
 1

 dr
0.782a 1 1.28a a

• The plot shows how much drift in driving frequency can

be tolerated.

Engineering Vibrations 34
Dynamic Vibration Absorber

Engineering Vibrations 35
 Animation of the main mass and dynamic absorber at
three frequencies.
• The 2-DOF system has two natural frequencies, corresponding
to the two natural modes of vibration for the system.
• In the lower frequency mode both masses move in the same
direction, in-phase with each other. In the higher frequency
mode the two masses move in opposite direction, 180° out of
phase with each other.
• The animation above shows the motion of the 2-DOF system
at normalized forcing frequencies of:
– fleft=0.67 (in-phase mode),
– fmiddle=1 (undamped classical tuned dynamic absorber), and
– fright=1.3 (opposite-phase mode).
• The arrows in the movie represent the magnitude and phase
of the force applied to the main mass.

Engineering Vibrations 36
• Observation
– If dr drift to either 0.782a or 1.28a the combined
system will experience resonance and fail (both are
the natural frequencies of the combined system)
– If the driving frequency shifts such that Xk F0  1 , (i.e.
0.908a or 1.118a) the force transmitted to the
primary system is amplified and the absorber system
is not an improvement.
– The shaded area Xk  1illustrates the useful operating
F0

range of the absorber design.

Engineering Vibrations 37
• If frequency drifts within this range, the absorber
design still offers some protection to the primary
system by reducing its steady-state vibration
magnitude.
Further illumination
– The two dimensionless quantities  ,   indirectly specify
both mass & stiffness of the absorber.
– frequency equation (characteristic equation) for the two
mass system is determined as follows.
– Set
• the determinant of the coefficient matrix to zero or
• the denominator of either of equations 2, 3 or 4 to zero. This will
set X or Xa to  hence resonance

Engineering Vibrations 38
i.e. dr  n  
2
 2
  2
 2  2   [1   2 (1   )] 2  1  0
 a  a
2
This is a quadratic equation in 2
a
   1   2 1   
2
1
    2  4 (1   ) 2  2  2 (1   )  1
 a  2 2
2

• This illustrates how the systems’ natural frequency

vary with mass ratio  and the frequency ratio β.

Engineering Vibrations 39
 
0.3  1
  0.25
0.2

0.1

1 1 2 a

From plot:
• As  is increased, the natural frequencies split
further apart, and further from the operating point
ωdr= ωa of the absorber.
• If  is too small, the combined system will not
tolerate much fluctuation in the driving frequency
before it fails.
Engineering Vibrations 40
Rule of thumb:
–  is usually taken to be between 0.05 and 0.25 as larger
values of  tend to indicate poor design
(big ma → poor design)
• Vibration absorbers can also fail because of fatigue if
xa(t) and the stress associated with this motion of
the absorber are larger.

Engineering Vibrations 41