Contact: Prof. J. Booker

Email: jfb5@cornell.edu

Phone: 255-3618

Office: 214 Upson Hall

Efficient Data Storage/Retrieval

Finite element codes already developed at Cornell simulate dynamic performance of viscous fluid films (e.g., in engine bearings and artificial joints).

These existing codes are accurate and effective for simulation of single bearings, but heavy computational requirements limit their use in simulation of larger systems (e.g., complete engines).

Dynamic response of cylindrical journal bearings with only parallel misalignment (eccentricity) can be characterized by 2 impedance (damping) components, which are smooth (though nonlinear) functions of 2 spatial eccentricity variables (on a unit clearance circle) and a single tightly-bounded geometric parameter; angular misalignment introduces an additional 2 spatial dimensions.

Objectives of this project work would be two-fold:

(1) generate a set of impedance data using the existing finite element codes

(2) develop efficient storage/retrieval strategies* for the set of impedance data.

Initial work would only consider 2 spatial dimensions; accommodation of angular misalignment via higher dimensionality would be a natural extension of the project.

This project would be coordinated with ongoing work at another university, and joint publication(s) would be intended.

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* For example, published multidimensional curve-fits suffer from various deficits ranging from inaccuracy and inefficiency to inelegance.

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