Non-linearity in experimental journal bearing dynamics - a new approach

This article considers the effects of non-linearity in the dynamic properties of a journal bearing and presents a method of constructing the calculations needed in the identification of a non-linear dynamic model of the oil film. The new calculation method, together with its background and development is described and illustrated. The method uses frequency-domain descriptions of the test waveforms and accommodates any reasonable oil film model. It can also be used to predict the orbits. It has been applied to both theoretical and experimental results, and a robust procedure based on the new calculation method for the extraction of higher-order dynamic oil film coefficients is proposed and described.