Single Degree of

Freedom Systems


Introduces the important concept of resonance
Structural Dynamics
Governing Equation
Governing equation


Special Cases:
( ) t p ku u c u m = + +

0 = p 0 = c
0 = p 0 = c
0 = p 0 = c
0 = p 0 = c
Undamped free vibration
Damped free vibration
Undamped forced vibration
Damped forced vibration
Undamped free vibration
0 = +ku u m

Excitation Structure Response
Initial displacement, u
0
Initial velocity, v
0

( ) t B t A t u e e sin cos + =
Harmonic
Depends on u
0
and v
0

( ) u e = t Ccos
where
e
0 0
, v B u A = =
( ) A B B A C
1 2 2
tan ,

= + = u
m k = e
Natural circular frequency
Natural period and cyclic
frequency
T =
1
f
=
2
w
When an undamped SDOF system is subjected to initial displacement u
0
and/or velocity v
0
, the
system will oscillate in a repetitive sinusoidal pattern with a period equal to
Damped free vibration
Excitation Structure Response
Initial displacement, u
0
Initial velocity, v
0

Harmonic
Depends on u
0
and v
0

Underdamped system
Most structures are underdamped. The ratio of the actual damping coefficient to the
critical damping is known as damping ratio.
e m c 2 <
Overdamped system
e m c 2 >
Critically damped system
e m c c
cr
2 = =
0 = + + ku u c u m

e

m
c
2
=
Damping ratio of buildings
The exact damping ratio of an actual structure is difficult to determine.
Furthermore, the damping ratio appears to increase during large swings
and depends on natural period of building.
Damped free vibration
Excitation Structure Response
Initial displacement, u
0
Initial velocity, v
0

Harmonic
Depends on u
0
and v
0

where
D
u v
B u A
e
e
0 0
0
,
+
= =
( ) A B B A C
1 2 2
tan ,

= + = u
Damped natural circular frequency
Natural period and cyclic
frequency
T
D
=
1
f
D
=
2
w
D
For an underdamped system, the system will oscillate although the amplitude of the
oscillations will decay.
0 = + + ku u c u m
( ) | | t B t A e t u
D D
t
e e
e
sin cos + =

( ) u e
e
=

t C e
D
t
cos
2
1 e e
D
e

m
c
2

Damped free vibration

The period of oscillation will be slightly greater with damping than
without it, since the damping slows down the movement.
The ratio of one cycles amplitude to the subsequent cycles
amplitude is the decay decrement. The natural logarithm is the
logarithmic decrement,
t

t
o 2
1
2
ln
2
1
~

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
+ n
n
u
u
T
D
=
T
1 x
2
Free vibration tests
To determine the damping ratio for practical structures,
free vibration experiments are conducted. The
damping ratio can be determined after j cycles from
j i
i
u
u
j
+
= ln
2
1
t

Example
Solution