Stability Analysis of Finite Offset-Halves Pressure Dam Bearing

Cylindrical pressure dam bearings are manufactured in two halves. During assembly, intentionally or accidentally, the centers of two halves may get displaced. This paper analytically analyzes the dynamic behavior of a cylindrical pressure dam bearing having centers of both halves displaced. Hence the bearing is termed as offset-halves pressure dam bearing. It has been observed that stability of a cylindrical pressure dam bearing can be increased many times by displacing the centers of two halves. The bearing so obtained is even superior to elliptical and half-elliptical pressure dam bearings in stability. A simple and inexpensive method of increasing stability of cylindrical pressure dam bearings has been analytically analyzed in this paper.