Pressure Spikes and Stability Considerations in Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Models

Abstract

Analytical tools useful in mathematical modeling of the elastohydrodynamic lubrication are developed. Stability maps which delimit the applicability of the two parameter EHL model are computed using linearized stability analysis and numerical analytic continuation. An exact solution is derived (for a region of constant film thickness within the lubricant) which explains the nature of a class of pressure spikes which arise under severe conditions. The relationship between stability and pressure spikes is discussed.