Mechanical & Aerospace

Vibration Lab

Resonance, made visible. Drag the damping ratio ζ and the forcing frequency ratio r = ω/ωn; the steady-state magnification curve redraws against a faint family of reference damping curves, with the resonant peak marked. Light damping near r = 1 makes the response blow up; adding damping tames the peak (and past ζ = 0.707 it vanishes). Flip to transmissibility to see why vibration isolation needs r > √2 — and why more damping there actually hurts.

r=1r = ω/ωn →M

3.33

Magnification

90°

Phase lag

3.37

Peak M

0.98

Peak at r

Damping ratio ζ0.15
Frequency ratio r1

Drive a system near its natural frequency (r→1) and a lightly-damped response blows up — that's resonance. Adding damping (ζ) tames the peak; past ζ = 0.707 the peak disappears entirely.

How to use this simulation

Resonance, made visible. Drag the damping ratio ζ and the forcing frequency ratio r = ω/ωn; the steady-state magnification curve redraws against a faint family of reference damping curves, with the resonant peak marked. Light damping near r = 1 makes the response blow up; adding damping tames the peak (and past ζ = 0.707 it vanishes). Flip to transmissibility to see why vibration isolation needs r > √2 — and why more damping there actually hurts.

Everything runs in your browser — no sign-up, no download. Change a value and the result updates instantly, so you can build a feel for how each input shapes the outcome. It pairs with Crameleon's practice exams and step sheets when you want to go from intuition to working the problems.