A steady-state model for tilting pad journal bearings incorporating an analytical extension of the Sommerfeld solution

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Priest, E. and Hart, E. and Dwyer-Joyce, R.S. (2026) A steady-state model for tilting pad journal bearings incorporating an analytical extension of the Sommerfeld solution. Tribology International, 213. 111051. ISSN 0301-679X (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2025.111051)

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Abstract

An analytical model for a tilting pad journal bearing has been developed by adapting a correction factor method previously used for standard journal bearings. The approach derives the Sommerfeld solution for an infinitely long tilting pad bearing and uses it to adjust the centerline pressure of an infinitely short bearing. This semi-analytical solution addresses a gap in the literature on finite-length tilting pad bearings. Analytical models offer valuable insights into variable interactions and enable faster computation, useful in systems with fluctuating loads, like energy transmission systems. Validation across varying journal speeds and load directions showed a maximum error of 23.5% on the most loaded pad, demonstrating the model’s usefulness in early-stage design, mapping operational envelopes, and assessing bearing suitability.

ORCID iDs

Priest, E., Hart, E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2322-4520 and Dwyer-Joyce, R.S.;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)