(2.50) shows that if the forcing frequency is very low in comparison to the lowest natural frequency, the term [K] is dominant and the vibration amplitudes are controlled mainly by the system's stiffness. If the system is excited significantly above their resonance frequency region, the term −ω2[M] dominates and the system is mass‐controlled. Damping only has an appreciable effect around the resonance frequencies. The effects of these frequency regions on the sound transmitted through a forced vibrating panel are discussed in Chapter 12.
Example
As an illustrative example consider the forced two‐degree of freedom system of Example 2.6, where k1 = k2 = k and m1 = m2 = m. In addition, two equal dampers of damping constant R are connected in parallel to the springs. The displacement amplitudes A1 and A2 can be determined from Eq. (2.50). Figure 2.14 shows the response of ∣A1∣ and ∣A2∣ with the forcing frequency. Note that both ∣A1∣ and ∣A2∣ reach maximum values at the same frequencies given by Eq. (2.33). It is also noted that the mass m1 theoretically does not move when the excitation frequency is
Example 2.9
A small electric motor is fixed on a rigid rectangular plate resting on springs. The total mass of the motor and the plate is 45.5 kg. The system is found to have a natural frequency of 15.9 Hz. It is proposed to suppress the vibration when the motor operates at 764 rpm by attaching an undamped vibration absorber underneath the motor, as shown in Figure 2.15. Determine the necessary stiffness of the absorber if m2 = 4.5 kg.
Solution
The natural frequency of the original system is 15.9 Hz = 100 rad/s. Then, the stiffness k1 = m1(ω)2 = 45.5(100)2 = 455 000 N/m. Now, the operating frequency of the motor is 764/60 = 12.7 Hz = 80 rad/s, so the absorber should have the natural frequency
Figure 2.14 Forced response spectra of a damped two‐degree of freedom system.
Figure 2.15 Undamped dynamic vibration absorber defined in Example 2.9.
2.5 Continuous Systems
All structural systems such as beams, columns, and plates are continuous systems with an infinite number of degrees of freedom. Consequently, a continuous system has an infinite number of natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes. Although easier, modeling a structure using a finite number of degrees of freedom provides just an approximation of the behavior of the system. The analysis of continuous systems requires the solution of partial differential equations. However, analytical solutions to partial differential equations are often difficult to obtain and numerical or approximate methods are usually employed to analyze continuous systems in particular at high frequencies. However, flexural vibration of some common structural elements can be analytically studied. Sound radiation can be produced by the vibration of these structural elements. Such is the case of the vibration of thin beams, thin plates and thin cylindrical shells that will be discussed in the following sections.
2.5.1 Vibration of Beams
If we ignore the effects of axial loads, rotary inertia, and shear deformation, the equation governing the free transverse vibrations w(x,t) of a uniform beam is given by the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory as [10, 13]
where E is the Young's modulus, ρ is the mass density, I is the cross‐sectional moment of inertia, and S is the cross‐sectional area. Assuming harmonic vibrations in the form
and substituting w(x,t) from Eq. (2.52) into Eq. (2.51) we get
The solution of Eq. (2.53) is
where λ = (ω2 ρS/EI)1/4 and the C's are arbitrary constants that depend upon the boundary conditions (the deflections, slope, bending moment, and shear force constraints). Classical boundary conditions for a beam are
(2.56)
(2.57)
A very important practical case is a cantilever beam (clamped‐free beam) of length L. In this case, the deflection and slope are zero at the clamped end, while the bending
