Modeling and Validation of Dual-impact Behavior of Fault in Cylindrical Bearing Raceway Considering Defect Evolution

Abstract Characterization of the dual-impact phenomenon is an effective way to evaluate the extent of damage in a cylindrical bearing, and thus the bearing’s remaining life. Therefore, it is of great importance to conduct in-depth research and achieve through understanding on the impact behaviors during the defect development process throughout the life cycle of the bearing. In this paper, a nonlinear dynamic model considering defect evolution is established for cylindrical bearings. The model integrates non-penetrating and penetrating damage models to simulate the continuous evolution of inner and outer raceway damages, overcoming the limitations of traditional single-damage modes. Its automatic switching mechanism ensures uninterrupted simulation across multiple damage modes, enabling dynamic damage propagation analysis. The size and severity of raceway defects during the bearing's life cycle can be accurately inferred by analyzing the timing of vibration responses with defect estimation methods. This enables precise assessment of the bearing's health status. To validate this, fault bearings with varying damage types and sizes were manufactured and tested. The vibration signal analysis results have shown a good simulation-experiment agreement. The developed model provides a good candidate for digital twin modeling for the roller bearing condition monitoring.