Calculation of operational parameter variation of infinitely long slider bearings with stochastic roughness

Abstract

In the framework of stochastic representation of surface roughness, a novel Reynolds-type Equation has been derived recently by the authors and utilized to calculate the average values of a bearing’s operational parameters. To acquire an improved insight to the hydrodynamic lubrication phenomena in rough bearings, the stochasticity of the operational parameters should be described, by calculating their higher-order moments, such as the variation. The present work aims at deriving equations for calculation and quantification of these higher-order moments. More specifically, in the present paper equations for the variation of a slider bearing operational parameters (pressure, load carrying capacity, friction force and friction coefficient) are derived. The obtained results are validated against the deterministic Reynolds Equation solution, for a series of bearings with different random Gaussian surface roughness profiles, over a wide range of bearing design and operational parameters.