Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 April 2006
The static equilibrium of a journal rotating within a circular bush in the presence of a complete oil film is considered. Fluid inertia, though having negligible effect on load capacity and attitude angle, is shown to provide an important stabilizing mechanism. For any bearing (with specified geometry and lubricant) there is both a characteristic neutral stability curve and a characteristic operating curve which may intersect in two positions. Analysis of the weakly nonlinear motion, in the vicinity of the neutral curve, reveals the existence of stable, small-amplitude limit cycles which may be either subcritical or supercritical according to where the operating and neutral curves intersect.