Hybrid radial basis function/finite element modelling of journal bearing

This paper presents a novel approach through the combination of radial basis function (RBF) with Galerkin finite element method (FEM), to determine the solution of journal bearings. We divide the flow field into several subdomains. Local weak integration form of Reynolds equation is developed. The new model uses the point interpolation based on RBF to obtain the shape functions in each subdomain. The global solution is set up on the base of the local solutions of each subdomain. We demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the new method in detail using a statically loaded bearing example and by numerical comparisons among RBF method, FEM method and the hybrid method. We found that the large node and element number problem, the large matrix condition number problem, and the shape parameter-sensitivity problem all decrease. We also simulate the self-excited instability phenomenon and unbalance response of a flexible rotor-bearing system with the new model successfully.