Dynamically loaded journal bearings are analyzed using FEM in both structure and lubrication analyses. These two analyses are coupled by direct iterative method. A numerical example of Ruston and Hornsby 6VEB-X MK III diesel engine is solved with both rigid and elastic bearing housings. The result with elastic bearing housing shows smaller values in minimum film thickness and maximum film pressure. The effect of bearing housing deformation on minimum film thickness and maximum film pressure is significant. EHL analysis is then executed using 2-D and 3-D ring model of bearing housing. 3-D based EHL analysis shows smaller minimum film thickness and maximum film pressure compared with 2-D based analysis. In minimum film thickness computation, 3-D analysis shows more realistic result. It takes long time to get compliance matrix of 3-D bearing housing model, but EHL analysis based on this 3-D model is competitive with 2-D based analysis in computation time.
