Department of Earthquake Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
EQC 501 - Dynamics of Soils and Structures
Tutorial – IV
Autumn Semester
Dated: Aug 13, 2025 Session 2025-26
1) A machine is supported on four steel springs for which damping can be
neglected. The natural frequency of vertical vibration of the machine–spring
system is 200 cycles per minute. The machine generates a vertical force p(t) =
p0sinωt. The amplitude of the resulting steady state vertical displacement of the
machine is uo = 0.2 in. when the machine is running at 20 revolutions per minute
(rpm), 1.042 in. at 180 rpm, and 0.0248 in. at 600 rpm. Calculate the amplitude
of vertical motion of the machine if the steel springs are replaced by four rubber
isolators that provide the same stiffness but introduce damping equivalent to ζ
= 25% for the system. Comment on the effectiveness of the isolators at various
machine speeds.
2) An air-conditioning unit weighing 1200 lb is bolted at the middle of two parallel
simply supported steel beams (Fig). The clear span of the beams is 8 ft. The
second moment of cross-sectional area of each beam is 10 in4. The motor in the
unit runs at 300 rpm and produces an unbalanced vertical force of 60 lb at this
speed. Neglect the weight of the beams and assume 1% viscous damping in the
system; for steel E = 30,000 ksi. Determine the amplitudes of steady-state
deflection and steady-state acceleration (in g’s) of the beams at their midpoints
which result from the unbalanced force.
