Journal of Sound and Vibration (1980) 71(3), 453-457

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

EIGENVALUE PROBLEM OF A BEAM WITH A MASS AND SPRING AT THE END

SUBJECTED TO AN AXIAL FORCE

1. INTRODUCTION

A beam with a mass and spring at the end subjected to an axial force can be used to model a
steel pier of a highway bridge. It is necessary to know the natural frequencies and mode
shapes to discuss its dynamic behavior, especially when modal analysis is employed. In this
note, the frequency equation and orthogonality conditions of such a beam are derived.
Eigenvalue results are presented for axial force values up to the critical value, and selected
end mass and spring values.

2. DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION

The problem geometry is shown in Figure 1: a beam of span 1 is clamped at the end x = 0,
and at x = 1 it is loaded by an end mass with a transverse spring and subjected to an axial

Figure 1. Geometry and co-ordinate system.

force P. The axial co-ordinate is X. The strain energy of the beam is

~=~~~~~)2d~-~~(~)2d~+~~~:.* (11
0 0

in which E is Young’s modulus, I is the moment of inertia of the cross-section, P is the

axial compressive force, k is the spring constant and y is the transverse deflection. The
kinetic energy expression is

(2)

where w is the weight of the beam per unit length, A is the cross-sectional area, g is the
acceleration due to gravity and W is the weight of the end mass.
By making use of the energy expressions (1) and (2) and applying Hamilton’s principle,
the following differential equation and mechanical boundary conditions are obtained:
EI a4y/ax4+P a*y/ax*+(wA/g) a*y/at* = 0, (3)
M = -EI a*y/ax*, Q = -EI a3y/ax3 = -(W/g) a2y/at2 - ky + P ay/ax at x = 1. (4)
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0022-460X/80/ 150453 + 05 $02.00 JO @ 1980 Academic Press Inc. (London) Limited
454 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To solve equation (3), one takes natural modes of vibration in the form

y =X(x) e’“‘, (5)

-
where w is the radian frequency, X is a function of x and i = J-1. Upon substituting
equation (5) into equation (3), an ordinary differential equation for the function X is
obtained:
d4X/dx4+Pd2X/dx2-(wA/g)W’X=O. (6)

This differential equation has the solution

X=AcoshS&+BsinhS[+Ccosy[+Dsiny& (7)

where s =&-p +&?z,, y= J$(p+x@Ti?>, p=

Pl’/EI = (r2/4)p,
A = twA14w2/EI, ,f= x/l and p = P/P,,, in which Per is the buckling load of the
cantilever (P,, = 7r2EI/4i2), and A, B, C and D are constants of integration. In the present
problem, the boundary conditions at x = 0 and 1 may be expressed as

x=0, dX/dx=Oatx=O,
d2X/dx2 = 0, EId3X/dx3+PdX/dx+[(W/g)w2-k]X=Oatx=l. (8)

After substituting equation (7) into equation (8), expansion of the 4 x4 determinant
produces the frequency equation

S{a4 + y4 + 2S2r2 cash S cos y + Sy(y2 - 6’) sinh S sin y}

+ (h4e - ~){(a’+ y2) sinh 6 cos y - (S/y)(S2 + r2) cash S sin y}
- pS{(S2 - r’) - (S2- r2) cash S cos y - 2Sy sinh S sin y} = 0, (9)

where E = W/wAiand K = k13/EI.

2. PROOFS OF ORTHOGONALITY CONDITIONS

Orthogonality properties of the eigenfunctions can be studied by considering modes r

and s as follows [l]:

WA d4Xr d2Xr WA
TtofXr=EIT+P - --fX,=EI$+P$. (10)
dx dx* ’ g

Multiplying the first of equations (10) by X, and the second of by X,, integrating over the
length of the beam, subtracting the second result from the first and finally adding the
constant (W/g)(wP - w f )X,X, to both sides gives

0 0
(11)
 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 455

Integration of the right-hand side of equation (11) by parts and use of the boundary
conditions (i.e., equations (8)) yields

(0: -w:)(j-YXrXsdx +F,,=,) = 0. (12)

0

To satisfy equation (12) when r # s and the natural radian frequencies are distinct (w, # w,)
one must have

:XrXs dx +-wXrXs,=, = 0. (13)

g
0

Multiplying equation (13) by W$ and using the second of equations (10) gives
1 I

2
or llirfX,xs dx +TXrXsx=, =o: Xsdx=O.
g
0 0
(14)

Integrating the right-hand side of equation (14) and using the boundary conditions gives

I 1

EI d2Xr d2Xs
-z-S-
~~dx+kXrX~~=,=O. (13
0 0

Equations (13) and (15) constitute the orthogonality relationship for transverse vibration
of the beam.
For the purpose of transforming the equation of motion (3) into principal co-ordinates,
expansion of the transverse motion in terms of the time functions Ti and displacement
functions Xi gives

i=l

Substituting equation (16) into the energy expressions (1) and (2) and use of the
orthogonality relations then yields

V=iif, T;(jEf$)2dx-P/ (d$)2dx+kX;_j,

0 0

(17)

Lagrange’s equations of motion in the principal co-ordinates then are

e.+w;T,=O, (18)
456 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

where

_:=[i~~~)2d~-~i(~)2d~+~X~~= dx+;X:_,),
0 0 0

wi being the natural radian frequency of the ith mode.

If the beam were to be subjected to additional forcing, the response of the beam could be
obtained by this method in a similar manner.

15 I I I

7aB6m)

3.9266KS)

L I I I I
Ol IO 00 loo0 IOooo
Stii mtio,K
Figure 2. Eigenvalues A us stiffness ratio K for various end mass ratios K (initial axial force ratio fi = 0). CF,
clamped-free; CS, clamped-simply supported.

15, I I I I I

IO
x

3-
K
iii
5

0 0

Axialfora,mtiqp
Figure 3. Eigenvalues A us axial force ratio p for various stiffness ratios K (end mass ratio E = 0). CF, CS as in
Figure 2.
 LEl-l-ERS TO THE EDITOR 457

Figure 4. Eigenvalues A us axial force ratio & for various end mass ratios E (stiffness ratio K = 0). CF, CS as
in Figure 2.

3. NUMERICAL RESULTS

Numerical results for the first four eigenvalues A of the beam, for various values of the
non-dimensional end mass ratio E(= IV/ wAl), a’xial force ratio c.c(=P/P,) and stiffness
ratio K (= k13/EI) are presented in Figures 2-4, for the beam shown in Figure 1.
Eigenvalues of the beam correspond to the clamped-free condition for the critical case of
E = 0, p = 0 and K = 0, and correspond to the clamped-simply supported condition for the
critical case of K = cc or p = 00.
Department of Civil Engineering, K. TAKAHASHI
Nagasaki University,
Nagasaki, Japan

(Received 19 March 1980)

REFERENCE

1. S. TIMOSHENKO, D. H. YOUNGand W. WEAVER,JR. 1974 Vibration Problems in Engineering.

New York: John Wiley and Sons. See pp. 41.5-420.