Load Support of the Squeeze-Film Journal Bearing of Finite Length

Despite intuition, the squeeze-film bearing of finite dimensions produces much more load support per unit area than is found from a solution based on an infinite bearing. The load support is shown to be made up of two components—that due to the infinite journal plus an additive term due to the axial pressure distribution. Two methods of solution of the governing equation are applied: (a) A small-parameter analysis and (b) a numerical finite-difference technique. In the limit, the infinitely short journal is shown to have a load support 2.5 times that of the infinitely long journal.