The effects of lateral–torsional coupling on the nonlinear dynamic behavior of a rotating continuous flexible shaft–disk system with rub–impact

This study investigates the lateral–torsional coupling effects on the nonlinear dynamic behavior of a rotating flexible shaft–disk system. The system is modeled as a continuous shaft with a rigid disk in its mid span. Coriolis and centrifugal effects due to shaft flexibility are also included. The partial differential equations of motion are extracted under the Rayleigh beam theory. The assumed mode method is used to discretize partial differential equations and the resulting equations are solved via numerical methods. The analytical methods used in this work include time series, phase plane portrait, power spectrum, Poincaré map, bifurcation diagrams, and Lyapunov exponents. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the torsional coupling effects on the chaotic vibration behavior of a system. Periodic, sub-harmonic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic states can be observed for cases with and without torsional effects. As demonstrated, inclusion of the torsional–lateral coupling effects can primarily change the speed ratios at which rub–impact occurs. Also, substantial differences are shown to exist in the nonlinear dynamic behavior of the system in the two cases.