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PROBLEM 19.130
In practice, it is often difficult to determine the logarithmic decrement of a system with light damping defined
in Problem 19.129 by measuring two successive maximum displacements. Show that the logarithmic
decrement can also be expressed as (1/ ) ln ( / ),
nnk
kxx
+ where k is the number of cycles between readings of
the maximum displacement.
SOLUTION
As in Problem 19.129, for maximum displacements n
and nk
at 0
and t , sin( ) 1
nnk n
tt
ωφ
+
=
and sin( ) 1.
nn k
t
ωφ
++=
()
2
2
0
()
0
cn
m
cnk
m
t
n
t
nk
xxe
xxe +
−
−
+
=
=
Ratio of maximum displacements:
()
()
2
2
2
0
0
cn
mcnnk
m
cnk
m
t
tt
n
t
nk
xxe e
xxe
−
−+
−+
−
+
==
But (2 )
2
Dn k Dn
nnk
ttk
tt k
ωπ
+
+
−=
−=
Thus, 2
2
n
nk D
xck
xm
ω
+
⎛⎞
=+ ⎜⎟
⎝⎠
ln n
nk D
xc
k
xm
+
= (2)
But from Problem 19.129, Equation (1):
1
log decrement ln n
nD
xc
xm
+
==
Comparing with Equation (2), 1
log decrement ln Q.E.D.
n
nk
x
kx
+
=