Simulation files and code accompanying the paper "Load-based pressure profile matching for highly deformable fluid film bearings"

Comsol model and Matlab code to run the analyses and evaluate the results for the paper "Load-based pressure profile matching for highly deformable fluid film bearings". In this paper, we present a new approach for the design of largely deformable fluid film bearings. Instead of using a compliant support structure as seen in literature, we propose to use a thin and flexible bearing pad together with a load-distributing support. The approach is based on the assumption that this load-distributing support applies the bearing load in the desired profile of the film pressure to a flexible pad, normal to its surface. Accordingly, the pad will try to match the film pressure to the imposed load by adapting its shape relative to the surface, which makes the bearing adaptable to varying surface curvatures. The paper itself focuses on the fundamental behavior of the flexible pad and two of its limitations with respect to the ideal concept: the discretization of the support load and the presence of a certain stiffness in the pad.

The files in this dataset contain the Comsol model to perform the simulations with the flexible pad, and the Matlab files to analyze the data from these simulations and to generate the figures in the paper.