Dynamic analysis: Effect of damping on frequency

1. Nov 6, 2011

svishal03

This is a fundamental question but will be grateful if helped.

Please can anyone explain the effect of damping on frequency? Whether, damping increases or decreases the frequency and why? An explanation with a physical interpretation will be gratefully appreciated.

Vishal

2. Nov 6, 2011

Gordianus

A lightly damped oscillator has a frequency very close to the natural one (without damping).
As damping grows, the "efective" frequency gets smaller and vanishes when the damping reaches the critical value.

3. Nov 6, 2011

svishal03

Thanks a lot.

1 )Why do you use the word "Effective" here?
2) when you say the frequency vanishes, you mean that the structure stops vibrating, right?

4. Nov 7, 2011

JHamm

Consider the case where the damping approached infinity, you can see that the motion of the oscillator would all but vanish.
Another way to think about it would be to see that damping removes energy from the oscillator so its return trip from an extreme value will take longer than the time it took getting there from the zero point.