Lecture D32 : Damped Free Vibration
Spring-Dashpot-Mass System
Spring Force Fs = ?kx, k > 0
Dashpot Fd = ?c˙x, c > 0
Newton’s Second Law (m¨x =summationtextF)
m¨x+c˙x+kx = 0
(Define) Natural Frequency ωn =
radicalBig
k/m, and
Period τ = 2pi/ωn
(Define) Damping Factor ζ = c/(2mωn)
Equation of motion
¨x+2ζωn˙x+ω2nx = 0
1
Solution
Try
x(t) = Aeλt
Characteristic Polynomial
λ2 +2ζωnλ+ω2n = 0
Roots
λ1 = ωn(?ζ +
radicalBig
ζ2?1), λ2 = ωn(?ζ ?
radicalBig
ζ2?1)
General Solution (superposition)
x = A1eλ1t +A2eλ2t
= A1e(?ζ+
√
ζ2?1)ωnt +A2e(?ζ?
√
ζ2?1)ωnt
2
Types of Solutions
? ζ > 1 (Overdamped)
radicalBig
ζ2?1 > 0 ? λ1,2 < 0
? ζ = 1 (Critically Damped)
λ1 = λ2 = ?ωn < 0
x(t) = (A1 +A2t)e?ωnt
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
0 1 2 3 4
-0.2
One zero crossing at most !!
3
Types of Solutions (cont’d)
? ζ < 1 (Underdamped)
Damped Natural Frequency (and Period)
ωd = ωn
radicalBig
1?ζ2, τd = 2piω
d
Solution
x(t) = e?ζωnt(Acosωdt+Bsinωdt)
or,
x(t) = Ce?ζωntsin(ωdt+φ)
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1 2 3 4
4
Damping Factor
Needs to be estimated experimentally:
Measure the ratio of two (or more) succes-
sive amplitudes x1 and x2,
x1
x2 =
Ce?ζωnt1
Ce?ζωn(t1+τd) = e
ζωnτd
Let δ = ln(x1/x2). Since ωd = ωn
radicalBig
1?ζ2,
ζ = δradicalBig
(2pi)2 +δ2
For lightly damped systems,
ζ ≈ δ2pi
5
Energy Decay
For Undamped harmonic oscillator:
E = 12m˙x2 + 12kx2 = 12kx2max (constant)
For Underdamped oscillator
xmax(t) = xmax(0)e?ζωnt
Thus, we expect
E(t) = E(0)e?2ζωnt
...valid for lightly damped systems
This can be used to estimate ζ if Energy
(decay) can be measured.
6