Consider the forced vibration of a mass m connected to a spring of stiffness 2000 N/m being driven by a 20-N harmonic force at 10 Hz (20π rad/s). The maximum amplitude of vibration is measured to be 0.1 m and the motion is assumed to have started from rest (x0 = ν0 = 0). Calculate the mass of the system.
From equation (2.11) the response with x0 = ν0 = 0 becomes
x(t) = wnν0sinwnt + (x0 – w²n – w²f0)coswnt + w²n – w²f0coswt (2.11)
x(t) = w²n – w²f0(coswt – coswnt) (2.12)
Using the trigonometric identity
cos u – cos ν = 2 sin(2ν – u)sin(2ν + u)
equation (2.12) becomes
x(t) = w²n – w²2f0sin(2wn – wt)sin(2wn + wt) (2.13)
The maximum value of the total response is evident from (2.13) so that
w²n – w²2f0 = 0.1 m
Solving this for m from w²n = k/m and f0 = F0/m yields
m = (0.1m)(10 × 2π rad/s)²(0.1 m)(2000 N/m) – 2(20 N)=π²4 = 0.405 kg