Static Determinacy in the Theory of Finite Width Foil Bearings

Abstract

The assumption of “perfect flexibility” is shown to be self-consistent in an important class of finite-width foil bearing problems. When the membrane equations are written in the “stretched coordinates” of foil bearing theory, the usual edge conditions on the tape result in a statically determinate problem. The tape dynamics couples to the Reynolds lubrication equation through a single force-balance equation which does not entail the elastic strain.