
Since f(x) is an odd function and noting that ωt varies from 0 to π/2 as x varies from
0 to A,
dζ
=
A
0
A
ζ
f(ξ) dξ
(4.23)
With ω
0
and φ
0
determined by Eqs. (4.23) and (4.22), respectively, the next
approximation may be found from the equation
ω
1
2
x″+κ
2
f(x) − p cos φ
0
= 0 (4.24)
In the original differential equation, Eq. (4.20), ωt is replaced by its first approxima-
tion φ
0
and ω
0
(now known) is replaced by its second approximation ω
1
, thus giving
Eq. (4.24). This equation is again of a type which may be integrated explicitly; there-
fore, the next approximation ω
1
and φ
1
may be determined. In those cases where f(x)
is a complicated function, the integrals may be evaluated numerically.
This method involves reducing nonautonomous systems to autonomous ones* by
an iteration procedure in which the solution of the free vibration problem is used to
replace the time function in the original equation, which is then solved again for t(x).
The method is accurate and frequently two iterations will suffice.
THE PERTURBATION METHOD
In one of the most common methods of nonlinear vibration analysis, the desired
quantities are developed in powers of some parameter which is considered small;
then the coefficients of the resulting power series are determined in a stepwise man-
ner. The method is straightforward, although it becomes cumbersome for actual
computations if many terms in the perturbation series are required to achieve a
desired degree of accuracy.
Consider Duffing’s equation, Eq. (4.16), in the form
ω
2
x″+κ
2
(x +µ
2
x
3
) − p cos φ=0 (4.25)
where φ=ωt and primes denote differentiation with respect to φ. The conditions at
time t = 0 are x(0) = A and x′(0) = 0, corresponding to harmonic solutions of period
2π/ω.Assume that µ
2
and p are small quantities, and define κ
2
µ
2
ε, p εp
0
.The dis-
placement x(φ) and the frequency ω may now be expanded in terms of the small
quantity ε:
x(φ) = x
0
(φ) +εx
1
(φ) +ε
2
x
2
(φ) +
...
(4.26)
ω=ω
0
+εω
1
+ε
2
ω
2
+
...
The initial conditions are taken as x
i
(0) = x
i
′(0) = 0 [i = 1,2,...].
Introducing Eq. (4.26) into Eq. (4.25) and collecting terms of zero order in ε gives
the linear differential equation
ω
0
2
x
0
″+κ
2
x
0
= 0
2
κπ
1
ω
0
NONLINEAR VIBRATION 4.25
* An autonomous system is one in which the time does not appear explicitly, while a nonautonomous sys-
tem is one in which the time does appear explicitly.
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