An Experimental Study of Grease-Lubricated Journal Bearings Undergoing Oscillatory Motion

Abstract

A series of experiments was performed to study the behavior of grease-lubricated journal bearings. The results reveal that an oscillatory bearing undergoes a transition from boundary, to mixed, and to hydrodynamic regime. Another distinct feature is friction hysteresis that occurs as a result of oscillation. In this paper, we examine the effect of load, oscillating frequency, and lubricant on the friction hysteresis loop.