Non-linear dynamic interactions of a Jeffcott rotor with preloaded snubber ring

A two-degrees-of-freedom model of a Jeffcott rotor with a preloaded snubber ring subjected to out-of-balance excitation has been developed. The purely impact interactions have been investigated. The rotor makes intermittent contacts with the preloaded snubber ring and as a consequence it can be in one of five different contact regimes, which boundaries have been found analytically. The current location of the snubber ring has been determined using the principle of the minimum elastic energy in the snubber ring. Consequently a non-linear piecewise smooth dynamical system has been obtained and studied numerically. The results in form of bifurcation diagrams, phase portraits and Poincare maps show significant differences for the cases with and without preloading. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.