Optimal design of leaf springs for vehicle suspensions under cyclic conditions

Abstract

The suspension systems are designed to provide good performance in terms of comfort and maneuverability and to satisfy other requirements such as fatigue strength. This study focuses on leaf springs, a classic mechanism still extensively used in various vehicles for their high load capacity and low manufacturing and maintenance costs. The dynamic behavior assesses stationary nonlinear preload state components, considering the contact condition, large deflections, and tightening torques observed in the whole assembly. A commercial test vehicle is used for simulating the complete system, modeling its most relevant components in 3D, and analyzing the vehicle using multibody system simulations (MBS) coupled with the finite element method (FEM). This dynamic simulation is parameter-driven for obtaining the experimental design and determining the optimal suspension stiffness and damping features required for transporting suitable load sizes.