An experimental study is performed to investigate the temperature response and distribution in a sector tilted pad thrust bearing during the transient periods such as the load on the bearing changed abruptly.Lots of thermocouples are placed on different position such as the pad surface,leading and trailing edge as well as the pad block,and then these thermocouples are used to measure the temperature variation during the transient period.The load on one pad and the displacement of the runner are measured with different sensors.The effects of a sudden load change on temperature at different position of the pads are analyzed according to the experimental data.The influence of different initial conditions and the different load increment on temperature variation at the pad surface and pad body are obtained,and temperature responses at leading edge and trailing edge under different conditions are tested.This experimental study shows a significant effect of load increment and initial condition on the temperature distribution of bearing pad interface under sudden load change conditions,and the measurement of real oil film temperature is difficult due to the large thermal inertia of pad surface. An experimental study is performed to investigate the temperature response and distribution in a sector tilted pad thrust bearing during the transient period such as the load on the bearing changed abruptly. Lots of thermocouples are placed on different position such as the pad surface, leading and trailing edge as well as the pad block, and then these thermocouples are used to measure the temperature variation during the transient period. the load on one pad and the displacement of the runner are measured with different sensors. the effects of a sudden load change on temperature at different position of the pads are analyzed according to the experimental data. the influence of different initial conditions and the different load increment on temperature variation at the pad surface and pad body are obtained, and temperature responses at leading edge and trailing edge under different conditions are tested. This experimental study shows a significant effect of load increment and initial conditi on the temperature distribution of bearing pad interface under sudden load change conditions, and the measurement of real oil film temperature is difficult due to the large thermal inertia of pad surface.