Analysis of the response of a rotor system containing a breathing crack

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the presence of transverse cracks in rotors. The dynamic response of the cracked rotor is evaluated by expanding the changing stiffness of the crack (i.e. the breathing mechanism) as a truncated Fourier series and then using the Harmonic Balance Method. The crack detection is based on the use of the 2X and 3X super-harmonic frequency components of the non-linear dynamical behaviour at the associated sub-critical resonant peaks. Various parametric studies including the effects of the crack depth and location, and the crack-unbalance: interaction on the dynamic of a crack rotor are undertaken. It will be illustrated that the emerging of super-harmonic frequency components and/or antiresonances can provide useful information on the presence of cracks and may be used on an on-line crack monitoring rotor system for small levels of damage.