~ourrtal of Sound and Vibration (1979) 64(3), 371-378

RESPONSE

OF A BASE EXCITED
AND VISCOUS

SYSTEM

WITH

COULOMB

FRICTION

M. S. HUNDAL
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405. U.S.A.
(Received 12 October 1978, and in revisedform

10 January 1979)

The response of a single degree of freedom springgmass

system with viscous and
Coulomb friction, with harmonic base excitation, is determined.
Closed form analytical
solutions of the equation of motion are found for two cases: (a) continuous motion of the
mass and (b) motion of mass with two stops per cycle. Results are presented in nondimensional form as magnification
factors versus frequency ratios as functions of viscous
and Coulomb friction parameters.

1. INTRODUCTION

a closed form analytical solution for the response of a

Den Hartog
[l] presented
harmonically excited system with Coulomb and viscous friction. His system, shown in
Figure l(a), consists of a force excited mass with friction forces acting between it and the
ground. He showed both theoretically and by experiment that, depending on system
parameters, the mass may move continuously or it may come to stop during parts of each
cycle.

Harmonic
motion
Coolomb
friction

(b)

Figure

1. (a) System analyzed

by Den Hartog

[l]:

(b) system analyzed

by Levitan

[2].

371
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$02.00:0

V 1979 Academic

Press Inc. (London)

Limited

372

M. S. HUNDAI.

Levitan [23 analyzed the motion of a system with harmonic displacement

of the base,
shown in Figure l(b). The friction forces in his model act between the base and the mass.
He used a Fourier series approximation
for the Coulomb friction force.
This paper presents a closed form solution for the response of the system shown in
Figure 2. It is a base excited system in which the viscous friction force acts between base
and the mass, whereas the Coulomb
friction opposes the mass motion relative to the
ground. The model also represents a system in which an active device is mounted on the
mass. The device would act as a vibration
controller,
applying a constant force to the
mass in a direction
opposite
to its velocity. Curves of magnification
factor \;ersus
frequency ratio are given, showing the effects of the two friction parameters.
It is shown
that the mass motion may be continuous
or one with stops during each cycle, depending
on system parameters.
X

m
c
I
A

Coulomb
frlctlon

, 1,1
,/,,x,
II // /,/-/ii-7,/ l,,
Figure 2. System with Coulomb

friction

between

mass and ground,

2. EQUATION
The equation

of motion

with harmonic

excitation

of the base

OF MOTION

for the system is

md2.xldt2

+ cd.x/dt

+ kx + F = cd~/dt + 12~

(1)

where )! = Ycos(wt+p)
is the base motion and F is the force of Coulomb friction (see
Figure 2). The other symbols in equation (1) have their customary
meanings (a list of
symbols is given in the Appendix). When the mass is in motion F = F sign(dx/dt). When
the mass is at rest and the applied force is insufficient to overcome the Coulomb friction,
the magnitude
of the Coulomb force is then given by
F = - kx + LdJt/dt + ky.

(2)

Equation (1) is now put in a non-dimensional

form by defining the following dimensionless variables
and parameters:
time T = w,t: displacement
x = x/Y: Coulomb
force
X; = Flk Y; frequency
ratio r = w/w,. Here o, = (k/m)12. Also z = c/2(km) 2 is the
damping ratio. Equation (1) now becomes
,? + 22i + x + X; = -2~
where dots represent

differentiation

sin(rT+p)

with respect

3. CONTINUOUS
The system is assumed to have reached
mass is in continuous
motion between

MOTION

+ cos(rT+p),

(3)

to T.
OF THE MASS

steady state, and it is further assumed that the

its extreme positions
x = X, and x = -x,.

COULOMB

AND VISCOUS

x, = X6&: Y is thus the magnification

.i- < 0, equation (3) becomes

factor.

For

FRICTION

the half cycle of mass motion

conditions

when

+ cos(rT+p),

jl + 2z.t + s = X, - 2~ sin(rl+p)
where X, = F/kY. The boundary

373

on equation

(4)

(4) are

s = x,,,

and

q-0

at

T = 0,

(5)

s = -X0.

and

.q = 0,

at

T = n!r.

(6)

Such a motion of the mass and that of the base are shown in Figure 3, which also clarifies
the role of the phase angle p. Equation (4) can now be solved for the steady state response.
The general solution is
x(T)

= e (C,

cos qT) + Xf + X, sin(rT+r)

sin q7+C,

where q = (1 -z2)r12. The last term in equation (7) represents the steady
response of the system in the absence of Coulomb friction. Thus
X, = ([l +(2zr)2],[(1
and the phase angles r and p are related

conditions

-12)2 +(2z,.)x])1,Z

= -sinp

X,[(I-r2)sine+2zrcose]
the boundary

state harmonic

(8)

by

X,[-2zrsine+(l-r)cosr]

Applying

(7)

+ 2zrcosp,

= cosp-2zrsinp.

(9)

(5) yields

C, = X, - X,- - X, sin e,

C, = zC,jq - X, r(cos e)/q.

(10, 11)

For the sake of brevity the symbols

S, = sin(qn/r),

C, = cos(qxjr),

E = eern*

are defined, and also

A 11 = (zS,E/q+l

+C,E)X,,

A 2 1 = (z2/q + q) S, EX,,
B, = x,

A,2 = rS,EX,/q,
A,,

= (zS, E/q - 1 - C, E) rX,,

+ Xf + (X,-Xf)(C,+zS,jq)E,

Figure

3. Harmonic

base motion

B, = (X, - Xf)(z2/q + q) S, E.

and continuous

motion

of the mass

(12)

374

M. S. HUNDAI

Upon substituting
the values of C, and C, in equation
conditions (6), the following two equations are obtained:
A,, sine + A,,cose

(7) and applying

the boundary

A,, sine + A,, cos e = B,.

= B,,

Equations (13) can now be solved for sine and cos e. With M and N defined
of system parameters by
M = (l-2zS,Ejq-E)/(l

(13)
as functions

+C,E+E*),

N = 2S,E/rq(l+2C,E+E2),
the solution

of equations

(13) is

sin e = (X, + MXf)iX,,

which yields an explicit

(14)

expression

cos e = NX,/X,,

(15)

for X,:

X, = - MX,

4. LIMITS

+ (X; - NX;)?

OF CONTINUOUS

(16)

MOTION

The solution of equation (4) given in section 3 is valid only when Z?< 0 for 0 < T < n/r.
This condition
is used to determine
the maximum
values of z and X, for which a
continuous
motion is possible. Upon differentiating
equation (7) and substituting
from
equations (lo), (11) and (15), the required condition is found to be
i = e-TIXf(l

+M)(sin

qT)/q + zrXf N(sin qT)/q - rXf N cos qT]

+ rX, N cos rT - r(X, +X,

5. MOTION

M) sin rT < 0,

for

0 < T < n/r.

(17)

OF MASS WITH STOPS

When the magnitude of the Coulomb friction force is sufficiently high, the mass, once it
comes to a stop at either end of its stroke, will not begin to move until the applied force is
larger than the Coulomb force. Let the mass be in motion for 0 d T d T, and to rest for
T, < T < n/r during the half cycle considered
above, as illustrated
in Figure 4. Thus
during 0 < T < T, equation (4) and its solution, equation (7), are valid, with the boundary
conditions

During

the interval

x = x,,

and

i = 0,

at

T = 0,

(18)

x = -x,,

and

k-0,

at

T=T,.

(19)

T, < T Q rc/r, from equation

x - X> = -2zr

sin(rT+p)

which is also valid at T = 0. At this instant,

therefore
X, -X,

(3),
+ cos(rT+p),

as motion

= -2zrsinp

is about

+ cosp.

to ensue, X; = X,, and

(20)

There is, thus, an additional

unknown
T,, and an additional equation, (20).
Applying the boundary conditions (18) yields the same values of C, and C, as given in
equations (10) and (11). Next, by applying the boundary conditions
(19), using equations

COULOMB

AND

VISCOUS

375

FRICTION

Figure 4. Harmonic

base motion

and mass motion

with one stop per half cycle.

(20) and (9) to eliminate X, and then p, respectively, two equations in sin e and cos e are
obtained. Again, for brevity, the symbols S, = sinrT,, C, = cosrT,, S,, = sinqT,,
C,, = cosqT, and E, = e- zTo are defined, and further,
D,, = 1 - r2 + C, - r2E,(CqO+zSq0/q),
D,,

= 2zr + S, + 2zrE,C,,

D2, = -S,

+ r(2z2-1)E0S4,,/q,

+ r&,&,/q,

D22

co

J%(C,,

(21)

+zS,o/d.

The equations in sin e and cos e are then

D,,sine

+ D,,cose

= -2X,/X,,

D,, sine + D,,cose

= 0.

(22)

Equations (22) can be solved numerically for the unknowns T, and e. The corresponding values of p and X, can then be found from equations (9) and (20) respectively.

6. RESULTS

Plots of the magnification factor X, are shown in Figure 5 for various values of
damping ratio and dimensionless Coulomb friction force. The broken lines represent the
boundaries of the regions in which continuous motion of the mass and motion with stops
exist. These broken lines are obtained by applying the condition given by equation (17).
The portions of the curves lying above the broken lines correspond to continuous
motion, and are defined by equation (16). Magnification factors for the case of mass
motion with two steps per cycle are given by the curves lying below the broken lines in
Figure 5. These portions of the curves are obtained as described in section 5.
It is evident that for z = 0.1, see Figure 5(a), the mass motion is nearly zero for X, = 1.
It can be shown that for X, > 1, for a range of frequency ratios, the mass motion will be
zero. The condition for no response of the mass is that the limiting Coulomb friction force
be greater than the applied force: i.e., the sum of spring and viscous friction forces. From
equation (4), this condition is
X, > [1+(2zr)2]1/2,

or

r < (XT- 1)1/2/(2z).

(23)

At high frequency ratios the magnification factor approaches constant values. As r -+ co

equation (16) becomes X, = X,-X,,
since E -+ 0. A4 -+ 1 and N -+ 0.

376

M. S. HLJNDAL.

(e)

Xf

Figure 5. Magnification
factor DS.frequency ratio. Portions of curves above broken lines represent continuous
motion of mass, below broken lines one stop per half cycle. (a) z = 0.1; (b) z = 0.2; (c) z = 0.3: (d) z = 0.4: (e)
z = 0.5.

7. CONCLUSION

Closed form solutions for the response of the system shown in Figure 2 with harmonic
base excitation
have been obtained.
Conditions
governing
the transition
from a continuous
motion
of the mass to one with two stops during each cycle have been
determined. These two types of motion are illustrated in Figure 6.
In the absence of viscous friction the system is mathematically
identical to that of Den
Hartog [l] under the same restriction. Furthermore,
as pointed out by Den Hartog, mass
motion with more than two stops per cycle is also possible. The condition for this type of
motion, which occurs at low frequency ratios, is that 1 > 0 for 0 < T < To,the expression
for the velocity being equation (17).

COULOMB AND VISCOUS FRICTION

377

A
Cb)

P-

x(T)
I-

2L

Figure 6. Mass motion us. base motion. z = 0.3: r = 1. (a) X, = 0.2: (b) X, = 0.8

REFERENCES

1. J. P. DEN HARTOG 1931 Transactions of the American Society ofMechanical Engineers 53, 107- I 15.
Forced vibrations with combined Coulomb and viscous friction.
2. E. S. LEVITAN 1960 Journal of the Acoustical Society ofAmerica 32, 1265-1269. Forced oscillation
of a spring-mass
system having combined Coulomb and viscous damping.

378

M. S. HIJNDAL

APPENDIX:

NOTATION

A, coefficients in equations (13) defined by equations (12)

Bi right-hand side terms in equations (13) defined by equations (12)
Ci unknown coefficients in equation (7)
co cos rT,
C, cos(&r)
C,, cos qT,
c coefficient of viscous friction
D, coefficients in equations (22), defined by equations (21)
E ,-Zn!r

EO
;
F'
k
M

E
P
4

SO

s,

S @J

Y
Z

w,

e-zT,,

phase angle associated with steady state harmonic response; see equation (7)
limiting value of Coulomb friction force
Coulomb friction force, <F
spring stiffness
function of system parameters, defined by equations (14)
mass
function of system parameters, defined by equations (14)
phase angle of base displacement; see Figure 3
dimensionless natural frequency with viscous friction, =( 1- z)l/
frequency ratio, = w/w,
sin rTo
sin(yn/r)
sin qTo
dimensionless time, = w, t
dimensionless time, in the case of motion with stops, at which mass comes to a stop
time
limiting value of dimensionless Coulomb friction force, = F/kY
dimensionless Coulomb friction force, = F/k Y
magnification factor with Coulomb and viscous friction, = x,,,jY
magnification factor with viscous friction only
dimensionless displacement, = x/Y
displacement
amplitude of base displacement
base displacement
damping ratio, =c/2(km)
base excitation frequency
undamped natural frequency