Nonlinear gear transmission system numerical dynamic analysis and experimental validation

The main objective of the present work was to accurately predict the dynamic response of a gear transmission system. First, a nonlinear mathematical model is introduced. In this model, the housing of the gearbox is modeled by using finite elements, while the essential effects of the gear-pair, the bearings and the shafts are taken into account via a lumped nonlinear mathematical model. This model possesses strongly nonlinear characteristics, accounting for gear backlash, meshing stiffness, transmission error properties and bearing stiffness nonlinearities. Then, a Bayesian uncertainty quantification and propagation (UQ&P) framework is adopted in order to estimate the optimal values of the gearbox, gearpair and bearing model parameters. In order to identify the values of the parameters, accelerations time histories are used, obtained during various operating conditions of the gearbox. These measurements are recorded from a special experimental device, which was designed and set up for this purpose. The effect of correlation in the prediction error models postulated in the Bayesian model selection and parameter estimation technique is investigated. Finally the experimental results was compared to those from the numerical model for verification of the numerical procedure and improvement of the numerical modeling of the gear transmission components. © The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc. 2014