MECHANICAL

ENGINEERING

ME 370
Vibration of Mechanical
Systems
Instructor: Dr. A. Scott Lewis ARL Science Park Building 814-865-0962
(Science Park Road)
E-Mail: asl103@psu.edu

Energy Methods
LECTURE 3 2

© Penn State University 2017

 Lecture Content

• Potential and Kinetic Energy

• Conservation of Energy

3
 Modeling and Energy Methods
•Provides an alternative way to determine the equation of motion,
and an alternative way to calculate the natural frequency of
a system

•Useful if the forces or torques acting on the object or mechanical

part are difficult to determine

•Very useful for more complicated systems later (MDOF and

distributed mass systems)

4
 Potential and Kinetic Energy
The potential energy of mechanical systems U is often stored in “springs”
(remember that for a spring F = kx)

x=0 x0

k
M

Mass Spring

The kinetic energy of mechanical systems T is due to the motion of the “mass” in the
system

5
 Conservation of Energy
For a simple, conservative (i.e. no damper), mass spring system the energy
must be conserved (no energy is lost due to friction or energy dissipating non-
elastic members):

At two different times t1 and t2 the increase in potential energy must be equal to
a decrease in kinetic energy (or visa-versa).

6
 Deriving the equation of motion from the
energy approach
x=0 x

k
M

Mass Spring

Note: The same solution would have been obtained by drawing a free body diagram
and applying Newton’s second law

7
Determining the Natural Frequency Directly
From the Energy
If the solution is given by x(t)= Asin(ωt+ϕ) then the maximum potential and kinetic
energies can be used to calculate the natural frequency of the system

x(t ) A sin(ωt + φ ) ⇒ =
Note : = x (t ) Aω cos(ωt + φ )

1 2 1 2 1 2 1
U
= max =kx kA and T
=max mx
= m (ω n A) 2

2 2 2 2
Since these two values must be equal
1 2 1 k
kA= m(ωn A) 2 ⇒ k= mωn2 ⇒ ω=
n
2 2 m
8
 Energy Method Example
Compute the natural frequency of this roller
fixed in place by a spring . Assume it is a
conservative system ( i.e. no losses )
and rolls with out slipping ⇒ x =rθ

1 2 1 2 1 2
Trot Jθ = and Ttrans = mx and U kx
2 2 2
 1 x 2
x = rθ ⇒ x = rθ ⇒ TRot = J 2
2 r
1 (ωn A) 2 1 1 J 
The max value of T happens at vmax = ωn A ⇒ Tmax = J 2
+ m(ωn A) 2 =  m + 2  ωn2 A2
2 r 2 2 r 
1
The max value of U happens at xmax =⇒ A U max =kA2 Thus T= max U max ⇒
2
1 J  2 2 1 2 k
 m + ω
 n A = kA ⇒ ω =
n
2 r2  2  J 
 m + 
 r2 
9

J 
Good Practice : Show that the differential equation of motion is  2 + m  
x + kx = 0
r 
 Newton’s Second Law Example
Determine the equation of motion and natural frequency of the following system. The bar is horizontal
in the equilibrium position with spring forces P1 and P2

a b
• cg
O mg
k k
P1 c P2

Assume small angular motion θ Note : J ois the moment of inertia of the bar about O

J oθ
O
O
P1 − kaθ
mg =
P2 + kbθ

∑M
ccw+
O = -(P1 - kaθ )a - mgc +(P2 + kbθ )b = -J Oθ

Rearranging yields
J θ+ k(a 2 +b 2 )θ + P b - P a - mgc = 0
O 2 1

Note : at rest,P2b - P1a - mgc = 0 10

Therefore,
k(a 2 +b 2 ) k(a 2 +b 2 )
J Oθ+ k(a 2 +b 2 )θ = 0 ⇒ θ+ θ = 0 ⇒ ωn =
JO JO
 Equivalent Mass
Idea is to represent many masses by a single equivalent mass

x1 x2 x3

meq
Pivot m1 m2 m3 Pivot

L1 L1
L2
L3

x1 = L1θ 
1 1 1  L L
T= m1 x12 + m2 x22 + m3 x32 and x2= L2θ  ⇒ x2= 2 x1 and x3= 3 x1
2 2 2 L1 L1
x3 = L3θ 

1  L2  2 1  L3  2 1   L3   2 1
2 2 2 2
1  L2 
T =m1 x1 + m2   x1 + m3   x1 = m1 + m2   + m3    x1 =meq x12
2

2 2  L1  2  L1  2  L1   L1   2

As a result
11
  L2 
2
 L3  
2

 m1 + m2   + m3   
m eq =
  L1   L1  

 Example: Energy Method
Find equivalent spring constant
and equivalent mass wrt to θ .
Assume bars AOB and CD are rigid
with negligible mass.
Find equivalent
spring

Equivalent Spring
1 1 1 kk
= + = 2 3
keq k2 k3 k2 + k3

Kinetic Energy
1 1  2 1 J θ
( ) ( ) ( )
2 2
T
= m1 l1θ + ( m + m2 ) l3θ= ⇒
2 2 2
eq
Find stiffness
associated with mass
J eq = m1l12 + ( m + m2 ) l32 π d 2ρ g
ρg
k4 A=
=
4
Potential Energy
1 1 1 1 1 * 2
k1 ( l1θ ) + keq ( l2θ ) + ktθ 2 + k4 ( l3θ )=
2 2 2
U
= keqθ
2 2 2 2 2 12

keq* k1 ( l1 ) + keq ( l2 ) + kt + k4 ( l3 )
2 2 2
=
Example: Determine the equation of motion of the
pendulum using energy
Energy Expression
1 2 1 2 2
=T =Jθ m θ
2 2
θ =U mg (1 − cos θ ), the change in elevation
is (1 − cos θ )
d d  1 2 2 
(T + U ) m θ mg (1 cos θ )  0
m
=   +  − =
dt dt  2 

mg  + mg (sin θ )θ =

m 2θθ 0
( )
⇒ θ m 2θ + mg (sin θ ) =
0
⇒ m 2θ + mg (sin θ ) =
0
g
⇒ θ(t ) + sin θ (t ) =
0

Using the small angle approximation for sin(θ )=θ 13
g g
⇒ θ(t ) + θ (t ) = 0 ⇒ ωn =
 
 How does including the spring mass affect the frequency?

y
y +dy
ms,k

m x(t)

14
•This provides some simple
design and modeling guides
 What About Gravity?
kΔ
m
k
0 +x(t)

m
mg
∆ U spring =
1
k (∆ + x) 2 U grav = −mgx T=
1 2
mx
+ x(t) 2 2

•Gravity does not effect the equation of

motion or the natural frequency of the system
15
for a linear system as shown previously with a
force balance.
 Example (Energy Method)
Identify : Kinetic Energy and Potential Energy
Note that from the geometry for a rotation of angle θ , the springs deflect a
l
distance kx = k (l sin θ ) and the cg is a distancecos θ up from the horizontal
2
line through po int O taken as zero gravitational potential.

1 2 1
For Spring : U= kx ⇒ U= k (l sin θ ) 2
2 2
l l l
Bar : U =−[mg − mg cos θ ] = −mg (1 − cos θ )
2 2 2
1
For Rotation : T = J Oθ 2 , where J O is the mass moment of inertia about O
2
2
1 l 4 1
J O = ml 2 + m   = ml 2 = ml 2
12  2  12 3
1 1 2 2 1 l 1 2 2 l
T +U
= ml θ + 2* k (l sin θ ) 2 − mg (1 − cos θ )= ml θ + k (l sin θ ) 2 − mg (1 − cos θ )
23 2 2 6 2
d  1 2 2 l  1 2   l 
 ml θ + k (l sin θ ) − mg (1 − cos θ )  = ml θθ + 2k (l sin θ cos θ )θ − mg sin θθ = 0
2 2

dT  6 2  3 2
Assume small motions ⇒ sin θ= θ , cos θ= 1. Since θ can't be zero for all time, must have
 l   3 
 2kl 2 − mg   6kl 2 − mgl 
1 2  l 2 θ = 0 or θ + 2
ml θ + 2kl 2θ − mg θ = 0 ⇒ θ +    θ = 0
3 2  1  ml 2
ml 2
 
 3   
3
6kl 2 − mgl
Let a = 2 16
ml 2
a > 0 θ (t ) =
c1 cos ωnt + c2 sin ωnt

Three cases for a: a < 0  ⇒ θ (t )= β1eα t + β 2 e −α t ⇒ unstable
=a 0  θ (=t ) θ0t + θ 0
 Energy Method Example
A cylinder of weight w and radius r rolls without slipping on a cylindrical surface of radius R,
as shown in the figure. Determine its differential equation of motion for small oscillations about
the lowest point. For no slipping , rφ = Rθ .

Solution :
The translational velocity at the center is ( R - r )θ.
The rotational velocity is φ - θ.
R R 
For no slip, rφ =Rθ ⇒ φ - θ = θ - θ = -1 θ
r r 
As a result ,
2
1W 1 W r 2  R    3W
( )
2
T = ( R - r )θ + 
2 2
 -1 θ  = ( R - r ) θ
2 g 2 g 2  r   4 g
U = W ( R − r )(1 − cos θ ) change is height is positive
d d 3W  3W
(T + U )
=  ( R - r ) 2 θ 2 + W ( R − r )(1 −=
cos θ )   + W ( R − r=
( R - r ) 2 θθ ) sin θθ 0
dt dt  4 g  2 g
3W
since θ can ' t be zero for all time, must have ( R - r ) 2 θ + W ( R − r ) sin θ = 0
2 g
For small angles,
3W
( R - r ) 2 θ + W ( R − r )θ =⇒ 0 3( R - r )θ + 2 gθ = 0
2 g
2g
ωn = 17
3( R - r )
 Try It On Your Own Problem
Determine the natural frequency of the system.

Note: PQ is considered to be weightless

18