Polynomial chaos expansion method in estimating probability distribution of rotor-shaft dynamic responses

The main purpose of the study is an assessment of computational efficiency of selected numerical methods for estimation of vibrational response statistics of a large multi-bearing turbo-generator rotor-shaft system. The effective estimation of the probability distribution of structural responses is essential for robust design optimization and reliability analysis of such systems. The analyzed scatter of responses is caused by random residual unbalances as well as random stiffness and damping parameters of the journal bearings. A proper representation of these uncertain parameters leads to multidimensional stochastic models. Three estimation techniques are compared: Monte Carlo sampling, Latin hypercube sampling and the sparse polynomial chaos expansion method. Based on the estimated values of the first four statistical moments the probability density function of the maximal vibration amplitude is evaluated by the maximal entropy principle method. The method is inherently suited for an accurate representation of the probability density functions with an exponential behavior, which appears to be characteristic for the investigated rotor-shaft responses. Performing multiple numerical tests for a range of sample sizes it was found that the sparse polynomial chaos method provides the best balance between the accuracy and computational effectiveness in estimating the unknown probability distribution of the maximal vibration amplitude.