Bifurcation analysis of a jeffcott rotor with a bearing clearance: Numerics and experiments

We introduce a two-degrees-of-freedom, non-smooth model of a Jeffcott rotor with a bearing clearance. During operation, the rotor makes intermittent contact with a snubber ring with viscoelastic support. This configuration gives rise to a rich and complex dynamical behaviour, which is explored both theoretically and experimentally. This work extends the previous investigations undertaken by the CADR within University of Aberdeen to gain a deeper insight into the system response (Gonsalves et al. 1995, Karpenko et al. 2002, Karpenko et al. 2002). To this end, careful numerical simulations are carried out and then compared with experimental data obtained from a rig (see Fig. 2) previously constructed and designed at the CADR. © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group, London, UK.