MECH 364

MECHANICAL
VIBRATIONS
Presentation Part 1
Clarence W. de Silva, Ph.D., D.Eng. (hc), FRSC, P.Eng.
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
The University of British Columbia
e-mail: desilva@mech.ubc.ca
http:// www.mech.ubc.ca/~ial
C.W.

de Silva

Announcements

Lab Sessions
Laboratory experiments have been organized to complement the
lecture-room presentations. These experiments will commence
soon. Please see the following web site for the descriptions of these
experiments, start date of the sessions, and laboratory location:
http://www.mech.ubc.ca/~ial/MECH364/

Be sure to register for one of the following laboratory sessions:

A: Wednesday 11:00 to 13:00
B: Tuesday 15:30 to 17:30
C: Wednesday 13:00 to 15:00
D: Tuesday 11:00 to 13:00

Tutorial Sessions
A set of tutorials have been organized to assist the students in
their homework assignments. These tutorials will commence one
week after announcing the first assignment. Please see the
following web site for further details:
http://www.mech.ubc.ca/~ial/MECH364/

Tutorial Schedule and Location:

Wednesdays 17:00 to 18:00
Room CEME 1202

MECH 364
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
4 Credits, 2nd Semester 2009/10
(Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00-9:30 a.m.)
Room: DMP 301
Instructor
Dr. Clarence de Silva, Professor
Office: CEME 2071; Tel: 604-822-6291; e-mail: desilva@mech.ubc.ca
Course Web Site: http://www.mech.ubc.ca/~ial/MECH364/
Course Objectives
This course deals with observation, analysis, and modification of vibration in mechanical systems. In addition to analysis
and experimentation, practical applications and design considerations related to modifying the vibrational behavior of
mechanical devices and structures will also be studied. This understanding is important for humans, particularly
engineers, as there are desirable types of vibration such as those generated by musical instruments and by vibrators used
in physiotherapy, industrial part feeders and sorters; and undesirable and harmful types of vibration such as those
generated by construction equipment, road irregularities, and due to earthquakes.
Natural or free mechanical vibration is a manifestation of the oscillatory behavior in a mechanical system, as a
result of repetitive interchange of kinetic and potential energies among components in the system. Such oscillatory
response is not limited to purely mechanical systems, and is found in electrical and fluid systems as well, again due to a
repetitive exchange of two types of energy among system components. Forced vibration is resulted due to oscillatory
forces that excite a system. In this course we will limit our attention to vibration in mechanical systems. Both translatory
and rotatory mechanical systems will be considered. Linear, multi-degree-of-freedom (lumped-parameter) systems will
be studied, and some attention will be given to distributed-parameter (continuous) systems. Topics covered in the course
will include response analysis, both in the time domain and the frequency domain, vibration monitoring and
instrumentation, modal analysis including experimental techniques, mechanical damping (energy dissipation),
computational techniques, and design and control of mechanical systems for modifying their vibration characteristics.
The course will include mandatory laboratory exercises.
Textbook:
De Silva, C.W., VIBRATIONFundamentals and Practice, 2nd Edition, Taylor&Francis/CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL,
2007.

MECH 364 -- COURSE LAYOUT

Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Starts
Jan 05
Jan 12
Jan 19
Jan 26
Feb 02
Feb 09
Mar 02

8
9
10

Mar 09
Mar 16
Mar 23

11
12

Thursday, Mar 25:

Mar 30
Apr 06

Intermediate Exam (In Class)

Distributed-Parameter Systems
Distributed-Parameter Systems

Chapter 6
Chapter 6

13

Apr 13

Energy Dissipation and Damping

Chapter 7

Grade Composition
Laboratory Exercises
Mid-Term Examination
Final Examination
Total

Topic
No Classes
Introduction; Vibration in Practice
Vibration Instrumentation
Time Response, Free
Time Response, Forced
Frequency Response
Frequency Response, Impedance
Approach
Multi D.O.F. Systems
Modal Analysis
Vibration Design and Control:
Vibration Isolation

15%
35%
50%_
100%

Read
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Chapters 8 & 9
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 12
Sections 12.1-12.3

MECH 364 Road Map

Vibration Engineering
Practice

Some Useful Terms

Vibration: repetitive, periodic, oscillatory response of a
mechanical system
Frequency: rate of vibration cycles
Amplitude: peak magnitude of cyclic motions
Phase: relative timing of one vibration signal wrt another
Free Vibrations: No forcing excitation (representative of natural
dynamics; needs two forms of energy storage
and interchange)
Forced Vibrations: Forced by a repetitive excitation (generated
internally or transmitted from an external
source)
Resonance: When excitation frequency = frequency of natural motion
vigorous vibrations with increased amplitude (undesirable)
Associated frequency = Resonant frequency

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

Higher Speeds
Greater Flexibility
Lighter Weight
Larger Excitation Forces
1.

2.

3.

Machine speeds doubled during the past fifty years

Vibration-excitation forces due to unbalances, nonsymmetries, misalignments, etc. would quadruple
without proper measures
Material optimization, energy efficiency, and compact
modern designs of machinery (light-weight) and
structures: Thin members; high flexibility; complex
modes of vibration; high amplitudes.
Increased power levels of modern machinery Stronger
vibration excitations, if no measures taken

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD (Contd)

Good Vibrations (Serve a Useful Purpose):
Shakers in parts sorters, aligners, feeders, etc.
Vibration therapy
Jackhammer vibration necessary for the task
Musical instrument vibration
Polishers, finishers, and mixers.
Bad Vibrations (Unpleasant or Harmful):
1. Seismic destruction
2. Wind induced vibration
3. Vibration in machine tools
4. Vehicle vibrations (due to road disturbances, engine, etc.)
5. Noise-generating vibrations
6. Vibration in electrical components (e.g., relays).

Goals and Study Areas

Goals of Vibration Engineering:
Suppress/eliminate bad vibrations
Generate desired forms and levels of good
vibration
Areas of Study in Vibration:
1. Modeling and Analysis
2. Design and Modification
3. Instrumentation
4. Monitoring and Experimentation
5. Control

Applicable Engineering Fields

Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering: Design and
development of aircraft and space craft (analyze and
avoid excitation of resonances by engine, atmospheric,
control surface excitations, etc.). Proper vibration
isolation and control (active and passive methods)
Civil Engineering: Design of bridges and buildings (modal
analysis); Dynamic stability (avoid catastrophic selfexcited vibration)
Electrical Engineering: Hardware degrade/malfunction faster
(e.g., components in PCs and control devices)

Analysis and testing during design and development

stages, for proper vibration performance

Vibration testing during production (for quality control)

Qualification testing for specialized applications (e.g.,

nuclear power plants)

Applicable Engineering Fields (Contd)

Manufacturing Engineering: Machine tool vibration
Degrades product quality; increases rate of wear and
tear, frequency of malfunction, tool breakage and repair
(increased frequency/cost of maintenance); creates noise
and operator discomfort
Proper design of machine tools and components
Incorporation of vibration control, isolation, and proper
mounting practices
Mechanical Engineering: Reduced vehicle vibration
Improved performance, ride quality and comfort;
reduced maintenance and repair Suspension design,
engine balancing, active and passive control, body design

History

History of Vibration
Musical Instruments (Good Vibration):
Drums, flutes, and stringed instruments
existed in China and India for several
millennia B.C.
Egyptians: Harp known since 3000 B.C.
Greek Philosopher Pythagoras (582-502 B.C.):
Experimented on sounds generated by
blacksmiths and related them to music and
physics
Chinese: Developed a mechanical
seismograph (to detect and record
earthquakes) in 2nd century A.D.

Chinese Seismograph
(2nd Century A.D.)

Egyptian Harp
(3000 B.C.)

Greek Philosopher
Pythagoras
(582-502 B.C.)
Experimented on sounds
generated by blacksmiths,
etc. and related them to
music and physics

Good Vibrations

Parts Sorting Application

An Alignment Shaker (Key Technology, Inc., of Walla Walla, WA)

Musical Instruments

Drums, etc.

Piano

Guitar

Vibration Testing of Civil Engineering Structures

Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Hydraulic Shaker (Civil Engineering, UBC)

Vehicle Suspension Systems

Cone Suspension System Installed on a Volvo 480ES for Testing

Vibration Mounts

An insertion Machine for Integrated-Circuit Components

(Amistar Corp., San Marcos, CA)

Medical/Physiotherapy Applications

Hand-held Massagers

Bad Vibrations

Long Flexible Structures:

Space Station
Space Robots (CanadaArm)

High-Speed Ground Transit

(Ride Comfort; Structural Integrity; Safety; Noise; Cost)
The Sky Train
Vancouver, Canada
A Modern Automated
Transit System

Guideway
Car

Torsional Guideway
Transit System (TGT)
Pier

High-Speed Ground Transit (Contd)

Three-Dimensional Five-Degree-of-Freedom Vehicle Schematic

Vehicle Ride Quality

A Typical Specification for a Specified Trip Duration

Flexible Civil
Engineering
Structure With
Moving Vehicles

Jefferson Memorial Arch

St. Louis. MO

Human Response to Vibrations

Depends on:
z Mechanical and psychological considerations
z Sitting or standing
z Vertical or lateral excitation/response
z Exposure duration
Notes:
z Nonlinear
z 3-6 Hz frequency
range is critical

Wind-induced/
Self-Excited
Unstable
Vibrations

On November 7, 1940
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
(Brand New) Collapsed
In Tacoma
(Puget Sound) WA

Seismic-Induced Unstable Vibrations

Earthquake in Kobe, Japan (Magnitude 7.2) on January 17, 1995

(Collapse of a Bank Building)