Effect of localized faults on chaotic vibration of rolling element bearings

Abstract This paper investigates the effect of localized faults on the chaotic vibration of rolling element bearings. The presence of chaotic behavior is demonstrated using experimental vibration data. A nonlinear mathematical model is developed that captures bearing dynamics. The numerical simulations of the model agree with the experimental evidence and provide insight into the bearings chaotic response in a wide range of rotational speeds. The bearing chaotic behavior is quantified using the Lyapunov exponent and correlation dimension. It is further shown that these measures can be exploited in detecting bearing failure.