Using 'GT Vibrations' in System Dynamics and Vibrations Courses

This paper presents an overview of an interactive multimedia vibrations program called GT Vibrations. GT Vibrations contains a series of modules that deal with elementary vibrations, transient vibrations, and continuous systems. The program is intended to be used as a supplemental tool for undergraduate courses in vibrations and system dynamics at Georgia Tech. The underlying goal of the program is to enhance the student's knowledge of vibrations by supplementing complex problems with text, graphics, animation, sound, and interaction. The program presents the student with what-if design scenarios in which he can modify different parameters of a mechanical system; in this fashion the student can see how different parameters affect the overall response of a system. The program is essentially a visual design tool which complements the theory and problem solving done in the classroom.