ElastoHydroDynamic lubricated cylindrical joints for rigid-flexible multibody dynamics

A new methodology is proposed for the dynamic analysis of rigid-flexible multibody systems with ElastoHydroDynamic (EHD) lubricated cylindrical joints. The EHD lubricated cylindrical joint is formulated by the Natural Coordinate Formulation (NCF) and the 20-node hexahedral elements of Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF), with the lubricant pressure determined through the resolution of the Reynolds’ equation employing the finite difference method. The main outcomes are validated with those obtained by using the commercial software ADINA. It is shown that the bearing flexibility plays a significant role in the system responses, extends the lubricant distribution space and, consequently, reduces the lubricant pressure.