Modal Analysis of Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication: A Connecting Rod Application

A method for performing transient elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHD) analysis of journal bearings using the concept of modeshapes was developed earlier. This method was referred to as the modal EHD analysis method. In the present work, the method is applied to an engine bearing geometry and load. The numerical algorithm is found to be stable and robust, as long as the modeshapes are carefully chosen; some modeshapes do cause numerical instabilities. The results from the new method are compared to those from an available EHD analysis, DEHD. Modal EHD analysis results with only 8 modeshapes compared well with those from DEHD, both for film thickness and for pressure. The new method was found to take an order of magnitude less time than DEHD for analyzing the connecting-rod bearing.