Assessment of 3D modelling for rotor-stator contact simulations

Rotor dynamic problems with rotor to stator contact interactions are most of the time dealt with in the literature by 1D local models. This leads to an affordable simulation time, but the corresponding approximations are difficult to assess. This researchwork highlights the necessity of a 3D model for a more accurate simulation of a rotor-stator contact problem, even if the differences between the 1D and the 3D results are not obvious on the rotor orbits. However, the limitations of the 1D simulations are shown. Indeed, the rigid body section assumption in a beam model of the rotor leads to approximations in the spatial distribution of the contact forces and their intensity. Therefore, the friction torque generated by the contact is overestimated in a 1D model.