Vibration of a Spring-Supported Body

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Abstract
The equations of motion for a rigid body supported on four springs are derived for the general case of the centre-of-gravity being anywhere within the body and allowing for the sideways as well as the longitudinal stiffnesses of the springs. This constitutes a six-degrees-of-freedom case with three degrees of asymmetry. Coupling between motions in all directions occurs even when the centre-of-gravity is at the geometric centre with the exception then of vertical oscillations and rotation about the vertical axis. Any number of additional springs can be allowed for by adding terms to the expression for the potential energy stored in the springs. Allowance is made in the expression for kinetic energy for the products of inertia which arise with an offset centre-of-gravity. The real case is simulated for purposes of analysis by replacing the rigid body by a rectangular box with a light framework and all the mass concentrated at the eight corners. The matrix solution is changed into dimensionless parameters and the effect of an offset centre-of-gravity upon the eigenvalues and eigenvectors studied. Only the proportions of the box and the stiffness ratio between sideways to longitudinal stiffness of the springs remain as factors. The numerical example given is for proportions of height to width to length of 3/4/5 and for a stiffness ratio of 5. Small amounts of offset of the centre-of-gravity from the geometric centre do not alter the dynamic behaviour of the system much but displacing the total mass towards either a lower or an upper corner has marked effects. Some of the natural frequencies associated with motion in rotation when the system is symmetric become less than the frequencies connected with motion in translation for the centre-of-gravity being close to a corner connected to a spring. A large region free from any natural frequency arises when the centre-of-gravity is moved towards a corner furthest removed from the plane containing the springs. The asymptotic conditions for the position of the centre-of-gravity are also considered.

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