Frequency of Free Damped Vibrations (Viscous Damping)

Consider a vibrating system, as shown in figure, in which a mass is suspended from one end of the
spiral spring and the other end of which is fixed. A damper is provided between the mass and the rigid
support.
Let
m = Mass suspended from the spring,
K = Stiffness of the spring, 
x = Displacement of the mass from the mean position Kx c x
at time t,
mg
δ = Static deflection of the spring = , and x  
K x x
C = Damping coefficient or the damping force per
unit velocity

Since in viscous damping, it is assumed that the frictional resistance to the motion of the body is
directly proportional to the speed of the movement, therefore

Damping force or frictional force on the mass acting in opposite direction to the motion of
dx 
the mass = C = C x
dt
d 2x 
Accelerating force on the mass, acting along the motion of the mass = m 2 = m x
dt
and spring force on the mass, acting in opposite direction to the motion of the mass = K.x
Therefore the equation of motion according to Newton's 2nd law becomes

(Mass * Acceleration) = Forces in the direction of Acceleration

d 2x dx  
m 2
 C  K .x  m x  C x  Kx  0 (1)
dt dt
This is a differential equation of the second order. Assuming a solution of the form
x  e St (2)
Where, S is a constant to be determined. Now substitute equation (2) in equation (1)
m S 2 e St  C S e Stt  K e St  0  m S 2  C S  K  0 (3)
Therefore, the two roots of equation (3) are
2
 C  C2  4 m K C  C  K
S1 , S 2         (4)
2m 2m 2 m  m
Let us define the critical damping coefficient Cc  as that value of damping coefficient C  which
 2
 Cc   K  
makes the two roots of equation (4) equal that mean       0 .
 2 m  m 
Or Cc  2 K m (5)
Further let us define dimensional damping factor. The damping factor   is the measure of the
relative amount of damping in the existing system with that necessary for the critical damped system.
C
  (6)
Cc
From equation (4)

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 C C Cc 2 K m K
         n (7)
2 m Cc 2 m 2m m
Therefore equation (4) can be rewritten as
S1 , S 2     n      n 2   n2

 S1 , S 2      2  1 n  (8)
The most general solution would be any linear combination of the two solutions.
x  A1 e S1 t  A2 e S2 t (9)
Where, A1 and A2 are two arbitrary constants which are to be determined from the initial conditions of
the motion of the mass.
It may be noted that the roots S1 and S2 may be real, complex conjugate (imaginary) or equal. We shall
now discuss these three cases as below:

1. When the roots are real (   1 or C  Cc ) (over damping system).

This is a case of over damping or large damping and the mass moves slowly to the equilibrium
position. This motion is known as a periodic. Since the roots are real and negatives, the most
general solution of the differential equation (9) is

 S1 , S 2      2  1 n 
    2 1   t     2 1   t
 x  A1 e  
 A2 e  
n n
(10)
Note: In actual practice, the over damped vibrations are avoided.

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2. When the roots are complex conjugate (   1 or C  Cc ) (under damping system).
This is a most practical case of damping and it is known as under damping or small damping.
From equation (8) the two roots are

S1 , S 2     j 1   2 n  (Where j   1 )
Therefore, the solution of the differential equation (9) is
   j 1 2   t    j 1 2   t
 x  A1 e   n
 A2 e   n
 e  nt A e j 1 2  n t
 A2 e  j 1 2  n t 
 1 
Let d  1  2 n (damped natural frequency in rad/s)

 x  e  n t A1 e jd t  A2 e  jd t 
Now according to Euler’s theorem
e i  Cos  i Sin ; and e i  Cos  i Sin
 x  e  n t A1 Cos d t  j Sin d t   A2 Cos d t  j Sin d t 
x  e  n t  A1  A2 Cos d t  j  A1  A2  Sin d t 
Let A1  A2  C , and j  A1  A2   D
 x  e  n t C Cos d t  D Sin d t  (i)
Again, let C  E Cos , and D  E Sin 
D
Therefore, E  C 2  D 2 , and tan  
C
Now the equation (i) becomes
x  e  n t E Cos d t Cos  E Sin d t Sin  
And  Cos A Cos B  Sin A Sin B  Cos  A  B 
 x  E e  n t Cosd t    (11)
As an example if t  is measured from the instant at which the mass m  is released after an initial
displacement  A , therefore by substituting  x  A and t  0 in equation (11) then
A  E Cos (ii)
And when   0 , then  A  E 
Therefore, the equation (11) may be written as
 x  A e  n t Cos d t (iii)
We see from equation (iii) that the motion of the mass is simple harmonic whose circular damped
 
natural frequency is  d  and the amplitude is A e  n t which diminishes exponentially with time as
shown in figure. Though the mass eventually returns to its equilibrium position because of its inertia,
yet it overshoots and the oscillations may take some considerable time to die away.
We know that the periodic time of vibration,
2 2
tp  
d n 1   2
and natural frequency of damped vibration,
1 d 1
f nd    1   2 n
t p 2 2

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3. When the roots are equal (   1 or C  Cc ) (critical damping system).
This type of damping is also avoided because the mass moves back rapidly to its equilibrium
position, in the shortest possible time. Then the two roots of equation (8) equal
S1 , S 2  n
The solution of the differential equation (9) is
x   A1  A2 t  e  n t (12)

Logarithmic Decrement
It is defined as the natural logarithm of the amplitude reduction factor. The amplitude reduction
factor is the ratio of any two successive amplitudes on the same side of the mean position.
As shown in figure, then amplitude reduction factor,
2
X1 A e  nt  n t p
 n
d
  e  e
X 2 A e  n t t p 
  n 2 
  ln
X1
 ln  e d     2    2
X2   n
d
n
1   2 n
 
2 
  (13)
1 2

Where   is the logarithmic decrement given by

X  X   X  1  X 
  ln  1   ln  2   ..........  ln  n   ln  1  (14)
 X2   X3   X n1  n  X 1 n 
Where, X1 and X2 are successive values of the amplitude on the same side of the mean position, as
shown in figure above.

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 Solved Problems

Ex1/A vibrating system consists of a mass of 200 kg, a spring of stiffness 80 N/mm and a damper with
damping coefficient of 800 N/m/s. Determine the frequency of vibration of the system.
Sol.
Cc  2 K m  2 80 103  200  8000 N / m / s
 C  Cc , then it is under damping
 The damped natural frequency d  1  2 n
C 800 K 80  10 3
    0.1 and  n    20 rad / s
Cc 8000 m 200
d  1  0.12  20  19.9 rad / s

Ex2/The following data are given for a vibratory system with viscous damping: Mass = 2.5 kg; spring
constant = 3 N/mm and the amplitude decreases to 0.25 of the initial value after five consecutive
cycles. Determine the damping coefficient of the damper in the system.
Sol.
C 2 
  and  
Cc 1 2
1  X1  1  X1  1  X1 
And   ln    ln    ln    0.277
n  X 1 n  5  X 6  5  0.25 X 1 
2 
 0.277   
 0.277 1   2  2   0.277 2 1   2  2      0.044
2

1 2
Cc  2 K m  2 3 103  2.5  173.2 N / m / s
 C   Cc  0.03 173.2  6.2 N / m / s

Ex3/ The following data are given for a vibratory system with viscous damping: Mass = 1 kg; spring
constant = 25 N/m. The mass is given an initial velocity of 10 m/s from rest position. Find the
equation of motion and the displacement of the mass after one second if the damping coefficient
is (a) 20 N/m/s, (b) 10 N/m/s and (c) 2 N/m/s.
Sol.
K 25
n    5 rad / s and Cc  2 K m  2 25  1  10 N / m / s
m 1
C 20
(a)     2 (Over damped system)
C c 10
The general solution for this case is
x  A1 e S1 t  A2 e S2 t
And    
S1 , S 2      2  1 n   2  2 2  1  5  S1  1.35 rad / s and S 2  18.65 rad / s
 x  A1 e 1.35t  A2 e 18.65t (i)

x  1.35 A1 e 1.35 t  18.65 A2 e 18.65 t (ii)

Initial condition: at t  0, x  0 and x  10 m / s substitute in equation (i) and (ii)
 0  A1  A2
10  1.35 A1  18.65 A2
 A1  0.576 and A2  0.576 . Hence the equation of motion is
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 x  0.576 e 1.35t  0.576 e 18.65t
And the displacement at t = 1 sec is x  0.149 m

C 10
(b)     1 (Critical damping system)
C c 10
The general solution for this case is
x   A1  A2 t  e  n t and S1 , S 2  n  5 rad / s
x   A1  A2 t  e  5 t (iii)

x  5  A1  A2 t  e  5 t  A2 e 5 t (iv)

Initial condition: at t  0, x  0 and x  10 m / s substitute in equation (iii) and (iv)
0  A1
10  5 A1  A2
 A1  0 and A2  10 . Hence the equation of motion is
x  10 t e 5 t
And the displacement at t = 1 sec is x  0.0 673 m

C 2
(c)     0.2 (Under damped system)
C c 10
The general solution for this case is
x  E e  n t Cosd t   
d  1   2 n  1  0.2 2  5  4.9 rad / s
x  E e  t Cos4.9t    (v)

x   E e  t Cos4.9t     4.9 E e t Sin 4.9t    (vi)

Initial condition: at t  0, x  0 and x  10 m / s substitute in equation (v) and (vi)
0  E Cos
10   E Cos  4.9 E Sin Note : Cos    Cos and Sin    Sin  
  90 and E  2.04 . Hence the equation of motion is
x  2.04 e t Cos4.9t  90
And the displacement at t = 1 sec is x  0.064 m

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 (Homework's)

Q1/ An instrument vibrate with a frequency of 1 Hz when there is no damping. When the damping is
provided, the frequency of damped vibrations was observed to be 0.9 Hz. Find (1) the damping
factor, and (2) logarithmic decrement.

Q2/ The measurements on a mechanical vibrating system show that it has a mass of 8 kg and that the
springs can be combined to give an equivalent spring of stiffness 5.4 N/mm. If the vibrating
system has a dashpot attached which exerts a force of 40 N when the mass has a velocity of 1
m/s, find (1) critical damping coefficient, (2) damping factor, (3) logarithmic decrement, and (4)
ratio of two consecutive amplitudes.

Q3/ A mass suspended from a helical spring vibrate in a viscous fluid medium whose resistance varies
directly with the speed. It is observed that the frequency of damped vibration is 90 per minute
and that the amplitude decreases to 20 % of its initial value in one complete vibration. Find the
frequency of the free undamped vibration of the system.

Q4/ A coil of spring stiffness 4 N/mm supports vertically a mass of 20 kg at the free end. The motion
is resisted by the oil dashpot. It is found that the amplitude at the beginning of the fourth cycle is
0.8 times the amplitude of the previous vibration. Determine the damping force per unit velocity.
Also find the ratio of the frequency of damped and undamped vibrations.

Q5/ A machine of mass 75 kg are mounted on springs and is fitted with a dashpot to damp out
vibrations. There are three springs in parallel each of stiffness 10 N/mm and it is found that the
amplitude of vibration diminishes from 38.4 mm to 6.4 mm in two complete oscillations.
Assuming that the damping force varies as the velocity, determine (1) the resistance of the
dashpot at unit velocity; (2) the ratio of the frequency of the damped vibration to the frequency of
the undamped vibration; and (3) the periodic time of the damped vibration.

Q6/ The mass of a single degree damped vibrating system is 7.5 kg and makes 24 free oscillations in
14 seconds when disturbed from its equilibrium position. The amplitude of vibration reduces to
0.25 of its initial value after five oscillations. Determine (1) stiffness of the spring, (2)
logarithmic decrement, and (3) damping factor.

Q7/ A machine of mass 10 kg are supported on springs and dashpots. The total stiffness of spring is 5
N/mm and total damping is 0.075 N/mm/s. The system is initially at rest and a velocity of 100
mm/s is imparted to the mass. Determine (a) the displacement and velocity of mass as a function
of time, and (b) the displacement and velocity after one second.

Q8/ The damped vibration record of a spring – mass – dashpot system shows the following data:
Amplitude on second cycle is 1.2 cm.
Amplitude on third cycle is 1.05 cm.
Spring constant (K) is 7840 N/m and mass (m) is 2 kg.
Determine the damping coefficient.

Q9/ The mass of a machine is 100 kg. Its vibrations are damped by a viscous dashpot which
diminishes amplitude of vibrations from 40 mm to 10 mm in three complete oscillations. If the
machine is mounted on four springs in parallel each of stiffness 25 kN/m, find (a) the resistance
of the dashpot at unit velocity, and (b) the periodic time of the damped vibration.

7-8
Q10/ Match the following for a system of free longitudinal vibration with m = 1 kg, k = 2 N/m and
C = 0.5 N/m/sec:

1. Natural frequency, (ωn) a. 1.3919

2. Linear frequency, (fn) b. 2.8284
3. Natural time period, (τn) c. 2.2571
4. Damped frequency, (ωd) d. 0.2251
5. Critical damping constant, (Cc) e. 0.1768
6. Damping ratio, (ζ) f. 4.4429
7. Logarithmic decrement, (δ) g. 1.4142

Q11/ The equation of motion for a machine supported on springs and dashpots
 
are 10 x  100 x  250x  0 . The system is initially at rest and a velocity of 100 mm/s is imparted
to the mass. Determine (a) the displacement and velocity of mass as a function of time, and (b)
the displacement after one second.

Q12/ A body of mass of 50 kg is supported by an elastic structure of stiffness 10 kN/m. The motion of
the body is controlled by a dashpot such that the amplitude of vibration decreases to one-tenth of
its original value after two complete vibrations. Determine (a) the damping force at 1 m/s; (b) the
damping ratio, and (c) the natural frequency of vibration.

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