
LATERAL VIBRATION OF BEAMS WITH MASSES ATTACHED
The use of Fig. 7.4 is a convenient method of estimating the natural frequencies of
beams with added loads.
Exact Solution. If the masses attached to the beam are considered to be rigid
so that they exert no elastic forces, and if it is assumed that the attachment is such
that the bending of the beam is not restrained, Eqs. (7.13) and (7.16) apply. The sec-
tion of the beam between each two masses, and between each support and the adja-
cent mass, must be considered individually. The constants in Eq. (7.16) are different
for each section. There are 4N constants, N being the number of sections into which
the beam is divided. Each support supplies two boundary conditions. Additional
conditions are provided by:
1. The deflection at the location of each mass is the same for both sections adjacent
to the mass.
2. The slope at each mass is the same for each section adjacent thereto.
3. The change in the lateral elastic shear force in the beam, at the location of each
mass, is equal to the product of the mass and its acceleration ÿ.
4. The change of moment in the beam, at each mass, is equal to the product of the
moment of inertia of the mass and its angular acceleration (∂
2
/∂t
2
)(∂y/∂x).
Setting up the necessary equations is not difficult, but their solution is a lengthy
process for all but the simplest configurations. Even the solution of the problem of a
beam with hinged ends supporting a mass with negligible moment of inertia located
anywhere except at the center of the beam is fairly long. If the mass is at the center
of the beam, the solution is relatively simple because of symmetry and is illustrated
to show how the result compares with that obtained by Rayleigh’s method.
Rayleigh’s Method. Rayleigh’s method offers a practical method of obtaining a
fairly accurate solution of the problem, even when more than one mass is added. In
carrying out the solution, the kinetic energy of the masses is added to that of the
beam. The strain and kinetic energies of a uniform beam are given in Table 7.1. The
kinetic energy of the ith mass is (m
i
/2)ω
n
2
Y
2
(x
i
), where Y(x
i
) is the value of the ampli-
tude at the location of mass. Equating the maximum strain energy to the total maxi-
mum kinetic energy of the beam and masses, the frequency equation becomes
ω
n
2
=
EI
l
0
(Y″)
2
dx
(7.19)
l
0
Y
2
dx +
n
i = 1
m
i
Y
2
(x
i
)
where Y(x) is the maximum deflection. If Y(x) were known exactly, this equation
would give the correct frequency; however, since Y is not known, a shape must be
assumed. This may be either the mode shape of the unloaded beam or a polynomial
that satisfies the necessary boundary conditions, such as the equation for the static
deflection under a load.
Beam as Spring. A method for obtaining the natural frequency of a beam with
a single mass mounted on it is to consider the beam to act as a spring, the stiffness
of which is found by using simple beam theory. The equation ω
n
= k/m
is used.
Best accuracy is obtained by considering m to be made up of the attached mass plus
some portion of the mass of the beam. The fraction of the beam mass to be used
depends on the type of beam. The equations for simply supported and cantilevered
beams with masses attached are given in Table 7.2.
γS
g
VIBRATION OF SYSTEMS HAVING DISTRIBUTED MASS AND ELASTICITY 7.25
8434_Harris_07_b.qxd 09/20/2001 11:24 AM Page 7.25