IOE Thapathali Campus/Theory of Vibration/Assgn.

1/2023

Tribhuvan University
Thapathali Campus
Department of Civil Engineering
M.Sc. in Earthquake Engineering
Theory of Vibration 2023: I Semester
ASSIGNMENT # 1
Last date of submission : June 13, 2023 (Monday)
1. A construction worker is goofing around on site and is standing on a wood beam at its center. The
worker is shaking up and down as he does his job but eventually the beam fails. The site engineer
is called over to analyze the dynamic system to determine why the wood beam has failed. As part
of her analysis, she first decides to determine the stiffness of the beam. Determine the equivalent
stiffness, k, for the massless beam system shown below (the beam is indeterminate so use
compatibility and linearity of the system to solve). Leave your answer in terms of E, I and L. Your
degree of freedom is the displacement of the beam in the down direction at the point indicated:

2. Consider a heavy mass of weight W on the following beam system:

Massless beam EI = 106 k-in2

W =5 kips
60 in 60 in

Assume the damping ratio of the beam is ξ = 10%. If displacement, v(t) corresponds to
thedisplacement of beam at the location of the attached weight, and if the system is given aninitial
displacement of 0.5 in and an initial velocity of 15 in/sec determine the following:

a. Write the equation of motion of the system – what type of system is it (i.e., underdamped,
critically damped, overdamped)?
b. The undamped natural frequency (ω) and period (T) of the system
c. The damped natural frequency ( ωD) and period (TD) of the system
d. The critical damping coefficient, cc
e. Phase angle of the vibrating motion, θ
f. The peak displacement at time t = TD + θ/ ω
g. The peak displacement at time t = 2TD + θ/ ω
h. The logarithmic decrement, δ
3. With a purpose to determine the dynamic properties of a frame system forwhich it has lost the
original blueprints, it is decided to do afree vibration test of the frame system. With the help of a
hydraulic jack, a jacking force is applied to displace the frame. With a jacking force of 20 kips it is
noted that the frame hasdisplaced 0.2 in. After jacking the frame, the frame is released from the
jack and its motion is recorded. On the first return swing after release, the frame does not come

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IOE Thapathali Campus/Theory of Vibration/Assgn.1/2023

back to therelease point but rather only 0.16 in towards it. The recorded time between the time
ofrelease and the first return of 0.16 in is 1.4 seconds.
v(t)

Determine the following:

a. Natural frequency (ω)
b. Mass of the girder (m)
c. Logarithmic decrement (δ)
d. Damping ration (ξ)
e. Damping coefficient (c)
f. Damping frequency ( ωD)
g. Amplitude of the frame after 6 cycles, v6
h. Plot the time history response of the system, v(t)
4. Estimate the natural frequency, undamped natural period, and fraction of critical damping of the
following time series:
Damped oscillator

t (s)
5. For a system with a damping ratio , determine the number of the free vibration cycles required to
reduce the displacement amplitude to 10% of the initial amplitude; the initial velocity is zero.
6. What is the ratio of successive amplitudes of vibration if the viscous damping ration is known to
be (a)  = 0.01, (b)  = 0.05, or (c)  = 0.25?
7. The stiffness and damping properties of a mass-spring-damper system are to be determined by a
free vibration test; the mass is given as m = 0.1 lb-sec2/in. In this test the mass is displaced 1 in. by
a hydraulic jack and then suddenly released. At the end of 20 complete cycles, the time is 3 sec.
and the amplitude is 0.2 in. Determine the stiffness and damping coefficients.
8. A machine weighing 250 lb is mounted on a supporting system consisting of four springs and four
dampers. The vertical deflection of the supporting system under the weight of the machine is
measured as 0.8 in. The dampers are designed to reduce the amplitude of vertical vibration to one-
tenth of the initial amplitude after two complete cycles of free vibration. Find the following
properties of the system: (a) undamped natural frequency, (b) damping ratio, and (c) damped
natural frequency. Comment on the effect of damping on the natural frequency.