Nonlinear response and dynamic stability of a cracked rotor

Establishment of a new approach for analyzing the nonlinear behavior of a cracked rotor system is the main goal of the present research. Nonlinear governing equations of motion are developed for the cracked rotor system with asymmetrical viscoelastic supports. In establishing the approach, the masses of the rotational shaft and a disc mounted on the shaft, geometric nonlinearity of the shaft, and the rotor’s extra displacements due to the existence of the crack are all taken into account. On the basis of the governing equations, the nonlinear behavior of the rotor system is analyzed numerically with considerations of the effects of the crack depth, the crack location, the locations of the disc, and the shaft’s rotational speed. The effects of the crack and the other system parameters on the dynamic stability of the rotor system are also investigated.