Static and Dynamic Characteristics of Journal Bearings under Uncertainty: A Nonprobabilistic Perspective

This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of crucial performances of hydrodynamic journal bearings subject to inherent uncertainties from a nonprobabilistic perspective. Uncertainties can arise for various reasons such as the evolving service environment, manufacturing errors, and assembling imperfections. An efficient nonintrusive frame named the Chebyshev interval finite difference method is proposed to solve the interval Reynolds equations, which allows accurate predictions of variabilities of performance parameters. The uncertain geometrical properties, lubricant viscosity, and external load are considered and their effects on the static and dynamic characteristics of the uncertain journal bearing are intensively discussed in different situations. New insightful results are found in various case studies and numerical validations of the proposed method are carried out. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis was carried out and the application of the proposed frame to a Jeffcott rotor was demonstrated. The interval uncertainties are found to have severe effects on the hydrodynamic journal bearings, causing potential critical influences in the corresponding rotating systems. Results and methods in this study provide references to robust assessment and design of journal bearings, and further guide the investigations on rotor-journal bearing systems.