Damping

If somebody tells you that I’ve got a SDOF system with mass m, stiffness k, and damping of 5%, you’d interpret that to mean the damping ratio is 5%, right?

I can’t answer, but I did wonder what you were asking:

SDOF = Single degree of freedom.

http://www.efunda.com/formulae/vibrations/sdof_free_damped.cfm

I would guess so. It can’t be the damping coefficient itself, since it would have to have units, and the only other dimensionless number associated with damped harmonic systems is the quality factor.

“Percent damping” is really “percent of critical damping,” which is how damping ratio is defined.

USGS Earthquake Hazards Program:

Viscoelestic damping article