The rubbing phenomenon occurs when a rotating element eventually hits a stationary part
of the rotating machinery. Increasing the rotor speed and decreasing the radial clearance between the
rotating and the non-rotating parts can enhance the performance of the rotating machinery. This leads
to an increased risk of rubbing contact. Rotor rubbing is the source of numerous different phenomena,
for example sub- and super-harmonic vibrations, amplitude jumps and rotor instability. So the
reliability analysis and sensitivity analysis of rotor system with rubbing is important for design
purposes. Reliability analysis can help the designer to establish acceptable tolerance on rotor system.
Sensitivity analysis can help the designer to know which problem in rotor system with rubbing is
being solved and how the solution may affect the design of rotor system for system correction and
reanalysis. On the basis of the dynamic equations of the cracked rotor system model and with
consideration of the random parameters including shaft stiffness and damping, disk damping, radial
clearance and stator radial stiffness, the random responses of cracked rotor system are researched. The
reliability and sensitivity analysis of the cracked rotor system with rubbing are studied. According to
the discretization of random process and stress-strength interference theory, the transient reliability
model of cracked rotor system with rubbing is proposed. The reliability for rubbing in cracked rotor
system is obtained by way of statistical fourth moment method, Edgeworth series technique and first
passage theory. Numerical results are also presented and discussed.