The Vibrations of n Xpinni7zg Disk.

By H. LAMB, F.R.S., and R. V. SOUTHJVELL.*

(Received April 6, 1921.)
1. This paper treats of the transverse vibrations of a circular disk of
uniform thickness rotating about its axis with constant angular velocity.
The problem has a practical bearing, as throwing light on the occasioi~al
failure of turbine disks. I11 an impulse turbine blades are fitted to the rim
of a thin disk, and steam is admittrd to them from nozzles which are usually
arranged symnietrically, but not always continuously, round the periphery.
The failures appear to be sometinies due to the Wades conling in contact with
the adjacent parts. This points to transverse vibrations, and there can be
little doubt that the phenomenon is one of resonance between the periodic
forces exerted by the steam jets and the periods of free vibration of the disk.?
For a thorough investigation it would be necessary to ascertain, to a
reasonable degree of approximation, the free periods of a syminetrical disk
of any given profile. This niay form the theme of a subsequent investiga-
tion by one of the authors. I n the meantime the stltdy of the simpler
case now discussed illustrates the physical aspects of the problem, and has
suggested an important simplification in method.
2. The special difficulty of the problem arises from the fact that centrifugal
force and flexural rigidity are both operative, and that the normal modes
of vibration depend on their relative importance. The vibrations of a non-
rotating disk were fully discussecl by Kirchhoff in two well-known papers.:
I n the other extreme, where the disk is so thin and the rotation so rapid that
the flexural forces are negligible, the problem admits of a very simple
solution, as follows :-
When an elastic disk rotates in its own plane, in relative equilibrium, the
principal tensions are along and perpendicular to the radius vector. If n be
++ My attention was .drawn to this question by Prof. Gerald Stoney, who showed me
some pretty experiments on a rotating india-rubber membrane. This led to various
calculations. I found subsequently that Mr. Southwell had become interested in the
same problem, and a conlparison showed that the methods and tlie results were closely
parallel. This paper is accordingly a joint production, but i t should be stated that the
important remark that the formula p2=pI3+p,2of 54 gives not merely an approximation
but a lower liriit to the frequency is due to Mr. Southwell.-H. L.
t A paper by K. Baumann, read before the Institution of Electrical Engineers on
March 15, 1921, gives examples of failures which have been traced to this source.
$ 'LUeber die Schwingungen einer elastischen Scheibe," ' Crelle's Journal,' vol. 40
(1850),and ' Pogg. Ann.,' vol. 81 (1850).
--
273 The Vibrationsof a Spinning Disk.
the radius, p the density, and w the angular velocity of rotation, their values
at a distance r from the centre are*
I' = A ( a2- y2) pw2, Q = (Ana-B.1.2)paa,
( 1)
respectively, where
ii = +( 3+o) , B = +(1+3u), ( 2)
a denoting Poissoii's ratio. These values arc! obviously unaffected by a small
displacement (7c) iiormal to the plane of the disk.
The equation of transverse rnotion of an element of area whose polar
co-ordinates are (T, 8 ) is, under the condition stated,
i~~~ al0 a
pl.sec.-=
a
2' ~ ~ s e -
a
- ST +-
a* j 7?;2
QW.- se,
, 2
Assl~liiing that w varies as cos secospl t , where s is integral, we find
This is readily integrated by a series. Assuriiing
we have
or, if we write
Ck+a- ( k - ~ ~ ) ( k + / ~ t + 2 )
C,, (/c+2-s)(k+2+s)' (9)
The solution which is finite for 7, = 0 begins with Hence; inserting
the factors temporarily oniitted,
(s- 7n)( s+)?L +2) 7."
-
The series in { ) is hypergeometric. I n Gauss's notation,
w = c P (., 7,11) cos eos pit,
(11
a1 a2
where a = h(s-nt), @ = $( ~+m, +8) , y = s+1. ( l a>
* Love,'Elasticity,' $102(b).
x 2
27 4 Prof. H. Lamb and Mr. R.V. So~~t hwel l .
The expansion is obviously convergent for 1. <a, hut sirice
r = a+P, (13)
i t becomes, by a known theorern, logaritll~riically infinile at the edge 1 . = a,
unless it terminates.* Hence we niusb have
where n is a positive integer. Thus
Arbitrary constants may of course be added to 8 and t.
The mode of vibration thus found is characterisecl by ILnodal circles and
s equidistant nodal cliameters. The corresponding frequency is deter-
mined by
= ( S + ~ ~ L ) ( S + ? ~ L + ~ ) I - ~ ~ I ~ ,
(16)
o2
where A and B have the values (2). That this ~. atio shoulcl be indeper~deilt
of the diameter ancl thickiless of (,he disk might, have been anticipated horn
the theory of dimensions.
The modes for which s = 0 involve displacement of the centre of the disk,?
and are thctefore uot relevant to the case of a disk moui~ted on a shaft.
The latter remark applies also to the mocle where o = 1,?2= 0 ; the disk the11
remains plane i n form, hut is slightly untrue to the axis. The rilost inter-
esting modes, and the orips l~lost easily realised experimer~tally, are those in
which there are no 11odal circles. Putting: 7z = 0, we have
with
When s = 2, we have two nodal diaineters at right angles, and
For an india-rubber membrane we may put a = 9,practically, whence
p / w = 1.5.
+ Cf. Rayleigh, 'Theory of Sound,' $336.
t It may be noticed that if we put v/a=sin$+ the formula (15) may in this case be
written
2U = CPI1(COS $) COS pit,
where P, is the zonal harmonic of order n.
The Vibratiolzs of a Spinning Disk.
Writing (16) in the form
pI2 = Xw2,
the values of X for various modes are given in the following table, on the
hypothesis a = 0.3, which corresponds fairly to the case of a steel disk. The
mode for which n = 0, s = 2, is t he rnost important from the practical point
of view, since i t is the gravest type of free vibration if we exclude (for the
reason already given) the case of n = 0, s = 1.
It is to be observed, tliroughout this paper, that the vibrations considered
are vibrntiorls relative to the undistul.bed disk- ; in particular, the nodal lines
in the modes investigated are in reality lines of rest in the disli, and are
accordingly carried round by the lotation. The results may, however, be
stated in a different form. By superposition of two normal modes of the
same type, with a suitable difference of phase, we can construct wave-forms
which travel round the disk with tlie angular velocity +pl / s. The preceding
results would, iu fact, have been unaltered i f we had assumed that zo varies
as cos (pit T s 8 ) instead of cosplt cos s8. The corresponcling angular wave-
velocities in space are w +P~/ s . Thus, in the case YL = 0, s = 1,whe ~e pl = w,
by (16)' the wave-velocities are 2 0 and 0. I n the latter alternative, the
membrane merely rotates in a fixed plaue sliglitly inclined to that which
we have talten as the plane of reference.
3. The preceding may be regarded as results which are approximated to as
the speed of rotation is increased. I n the other extreme, where the influence
of the rotation is negligible, ancl the flexural rigidity predominant, we may
have recourse to the investigation of Kirchhoff. The results are of the form
where E is Young's modulus, h is the half-thickness, arid p is a numerical
coefficient depending on the particular mode of vibration and (to some
extent) on the value of o. The results are actually presented by Xirchhoff
somewhat differently. He gives tables of frequencies of various modes
relative to that of the gravest mode of all as a standard, first on Poisson's
hypothesis of a = ;16, and secondly for c = +. The gravest mode in question
276 Prof. H. Lamb and Mr. R. V. Southwell,
has two nodal diameters and no nodal circle.
The frequency for this is
given by Kirchhoff in semi-vibrations per second, viz.,
and
for a = 4and o = 4,respectively.
An independent calculation for the case of a = 0.3 gives the following
values of the coefficient p in (21). The number of nodal diameters is
denoted, as before, by s, and t hat of nodal circles Ijy IL."
4. When the centrifugal tensions and the flexural stiffness are both
effective, the dificulties of an exact solution are much increased. The
equation of motion is
i z l u ~ U J Q a'l/. EIL"
p - = - - p,- +---
v4w;
a t . a, ) ,.,3 (I-,,,
and the boundary conditions are as given in liayleigh's "Theory of Sound,"
5 215. If we assume t hat 71. varies as cos secospt, as before, the equation
can be integrated by a series, but tile relation lnetween successive coefficients
consists of t h~e eterms, and the deduction of general results would not appear
to he easy.
Approximations which are adequate fro111 the practical point of view can,
however, be obtained by Rayleigh's nlethod of an assumed type,? at all
events, for the ruore important mocles. The procedure is equivalent to this,
that we calculate the potential and kinetic energies 011 the basis of an
assumed for111 of 111, and determine the frequency so that the mean energies
of the two lrirlds shall be equal. Since the frequency thus deterlrlined is
statioriary for slight variations of the type, a good approximation can be
found in this way if the type be suitably chosen. I t is known, moreover,
that, in the case of the gravest mode of all, the frequency obtained will be an
* The authors are indebted to Miss B. S. Gough for assistallce in tlie rather laborious
calculations.
t ' Theory of Sound,' 5S88,89.
277 The Vibrations o f a Spinning Disk.
upper limit to the true value. I n the present problem, this statement
obviously applies also to the gravest mode having any assigned number s of
nodal diameters.
The potential energy of the centrifugal forces is
where P and Q have the values (I), and the integration extends over the area
of the disk.
The potential energy of flexure is, in Cartesian co-ordinates,"
To transform to polar co-ordinates we have
'1 a 2 ~ 1aw\2 aZw 1;l+ 1laao\
wq2 -'ufXr Wyy =
---- -- -+--
(28)
kaFae ~2 as) a+ (7a s 2 a?).
The kinetic energy is
T = dr. (29) , h jJ'(27
If, then, we assume
211 = 4 (T, 0) cospt,
the method referred to leads to a result which may be written
where T ( 4)differs from T in that awlat is replaced by 4.
I n estimating in this way the frequeucy of the gravest mode for a given
value of s, i t is sometimes convenient to adopt for C$ a form containing a
variable parameter, and to adjust this afterwards so as to make the fraction
in (31) a minimum. This reduces the upper limit referred to. This plan is
adopted, and illustrated by numerical examples, in 5 below. The work is
somewhat intricate, but the formula (31) suggests a simpler process, which is
probably adequate for practical purposes, having regard to the fact that the
elastic constants E and c for a given disk are not likely to be know11 to a
high degree of accuracy.
I t is evident that if precisely the right form be given to C$ the formula (31)
will be exact. Now, on account of the stationary property referred to, the
true value of 4 would give an approximate value for pl" viz.,
* ' Theory of Sound,' $214.
278 Prof. H. Lamb and Mr. R.V. Southwell.
I n the same way the true value of + would give an approximate value for p~',
viz.,
Moreover, by Rayleigh's theorem, these estimates will in the case of the
gravest mode having an assigned number of nodal diameters be too high.
The second member of the equation (31), when 4 has the correct value, is
therefore greater than p12+pa2. Hence in the case supposed the formula
where pl and p ~ , are the values of p on the two extreme suppositions of infinite
thinness, and infinitely slow rotation, respectively, gives an approximation
which is of the nature of a lozcer Zinzit to the true value."
The property here inferred nlay be generalised as follows. If the restoring
forces which coiltrol the vibrations of an elastic system can be separated into
two or more groups which affect the potential energy independently, arid if
the gravest frequency of vibration be found on the assuniption that each
group acts separately (the inertia being ~ulchanqed), then the sun1 of tlie
squares of the frequencies thus found is less than tlie square of the greatest
frequency which can occur when all the groups act simultaneously; i.e., i t is
less t han t he square of the gravest frequency natural to the system.
As a numerical example, suppose t hat
in C.G.S. units. I11 t he gravest mode with two nodal diameters we have, on
the hypothesis t hat a = 4,
from (19) and (22). The formula (34) gives
as a lower lii-nit to the frequency.
5. We proceed to illustrate the applicatioil of Rayleigh's method to the
problem.
++ See footnote on p. 272.
279 The Vibrations of a Spinning Disk.
where is a constant to be afterwards chosen so as to make the inferred
frequency a minimum. We find
s ( S i2) A-s2B
s +l s+2
+P2 (i%44s2+4s+4)4-s2(b+2)B)]
cos2pt, ( 3 7 )
( s+2) (.s+S)
v, =
.nEk3
[ 8 ( ~ + 1 ) , 8 ~ + 2 ( 1 - ~ ) ( S~( S- 1) +2@s( sP- 1)
3 ( 1-u2)a2
+P2((s +1) (s2- 2) ) 1cos2pt, (38)
Equating the mean value of V1+V2to t hat of T, or expressing t hat the
total energy is constant, we have
where L, M, N, I , m, 72 have the values given helow. We have to choose P so
as to niake this fraction a minimum.
The stationary values of p2 are given by the quadratic
(In- n ~ ~ ) p ~ - ( l N +nL- 2mM) p2+LN- M2 = 0,
( 41)
and the corresporitling values of /3 by either of the equations
& L
We write for shortness
so that 5 (like w ) is the reciprocal of a time. The coefficients in ( 40) have
then the values
We have specially in view t he case of s = 2. Adopting the value 4 for CT,
we have
280 The Vibrations of a Spinning Disk.
Hence
As a partial verification of the method we note that when o = 0 the
quadratic (41) reduces to
I 2 2
15(11)-19712f+212992
\ c2 c2
= 0,
(51)
the lower root of which is
2
C"
= 10.8955.
This makes
This is higher than the correct value (22), as was inevitable, but the error
is less than 4per cent.
To illustrate the case where the effects of centrifugal force and flexural
rigidity are comparable, take the numerical data given at the end of $4.
These make
w2 = 9.86960 x lo4, c2= 1.97847 x lo4,
(53)
The quadratic (41) becomes
The lower root is
p2 =4.50890 x lo5,
whence, for conlparison with (35),
This is probably very close to the true value. I n any case the upper and
lower limits which we have obtained differ olily by about Q per cent. For
practical purposes the approximation ( 35) would probably be sufficient in all
cases, for reasons given above. It is, of course, obtained with much less
labour than (57).
The value of f l corresponding to (56) is -0.169.