Chapter Objectives

By the end of the chapter, you should be able to:

1. Define free, damped, and forced oscillations and their main parameters.
2. Formulate the equation of motion of a one-degree-of-freedom system.
3. Solve the equations governing free and damped motion.
4. Identify the different damping regimes and their characteristics.
5. Calculate damping parameters, natural frequency, and energy dissipation.
6. Analyze the steady-state response and amplitude–frequency relationship.
7. Determine the conditions for resonance and evaluate its effect on the system.
8. Interpret the physical behavior of a one-degree-of-freedom system under different excitation conditions.