Modeling of the suspension of a passenger bus by finite element software.

Carlos A. Reyes Ruiz, Edgar I. Ramrez Daz, Osvaldo Ruiz Cervantes, Rafael Schouwenaars, Armando Ortiz Prado. Departamento de manufactura y materiales de la Facultad de Ingeniera, Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico, Circuito exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegacin Coyoacn, C. P. 04510, D. F. c.reyesruiz@gmail.com, edgarisaac10@yahoo.com.mx, orcervantes@hotmial.com, raf_schouwenaars@yahoo.com, armandoo@unam.mx
1. Abstract The goal of this work is to calculate loads and moments at the fixing points of a commercial passenger bus suspension using finite element software, under different loading conditions. Structural analysis of the bus frame requires the determination of the loads transmitted from suspension to frame under different operational conditions, to optimize the design and analysis the interaction between the suspension and the structural frame of the bus. Starting from dynamic automotive equations, loads associated to each of the three axles are calculated under maximum loading conditions. The conditions evaluated to obtain axle forces are: suspended weight (static bus at maximum load); acceleration and breaking, leading to load transference between front and rear axles; cornering, which represents load transfer from one side of the bus to the other; cornering and breaking, which implies superposition of two conditions mentioned before. The geometry of the different components was obtained directly from the CAD files for each commercial suspension and axle. The degrees of freedom were also identified from the original drawing, either between movement between the components of the suspension as between suspension and bus body elements. Using the loads obtained with analytical equations, the values to be applied to each tire were determinated. Most components were modeled by wire elements, to which the mechanical properties of steel and different cross-sections were assigned. Additionally, connectors were used to model of dynamic components such as air springs, shock absorbers and tires, whose behavior was described by characteristic curves. The most critical elements were found to be air springs, which according to dynamic analysis carries an elevated percentage of the load, while for curving conditions the torsion bars become critical components. The models provided the reactions at all fasteners between the suspension and the bus, which provides information for the design of the suspension brackets as well as a detailed input for the optimization of the structural frame of the bus. 2. Keywords: Suspension analysis, FEM, automotive dynamics. 3. Introduction 3.1 General Due to the high costs associated to the development of new vehicle models, computer simulations of vehicle dynamics become more and more important in the product development process. While large multinational companies employ integrated design teams and the latest advances in computational technology and software using the economy of scale, many smaller companies are active in the design and construction of passenger buses according to local requirements and market specifications, principally in countries with emerging economies where usage conditions may significantly differ from the design specifications for Europe and the United States. To maintain a complete design team together with computational facilities and specialized software is often not feasible for such companies. Specifically, vehicle dynamics, also called handling simulation, is only a small part of the design process, which means that it is uneconomic for most small companies to own the corresponding licenses for such specialized softwares since they only use the m temporarily. Software used in structural analysis is much more common in the industry today and simulating vehicle dynamics with this kind of software could result in direct and indirect economic savings and new design possibilities. Due to the high license costs the companies want to be able to do as many simulations as possible in one software. Abaqus seems to be a good alternative to the existing specialized software because it is possible to perform the desired handling simulations in a straightforward and flexible way. If software has the possibility to perform a handling simulation, generally it can also perform simpler analyses, such as simulations of a single front suspension [1]. The suspension system of vehicles consists of a set of elements which absorb road surface irregularities while maintaining contact between tire and road all the time. Road irregularities are transferred directly to the wheels, which are in direct contact with the suspension, which in turns connects the wheels to the chassis. Its function is to reduce the dynamic effects of irregularities in order increase passenger comfort and reduce dynamic loads on the structural frame of the vehicle. The suspension also increases the stability and control of the vehicle during handling, due to improved contact between the wheels and the surface and a redistribution of forces over all wheels, thereby optimizing the distribution of friction forces during breaking and turning. This enhances the stability and security of the vehicle. Suspension is also responsible for the comfort level and passenger security, decreasing sudden movements and acceleration effects in a significant way.

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EngOpt 2012 3rd International Conference on Engineering Optimization
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 01 - 05 July 2012.

A good suspension system must be elastic in order to absorb ground irregularities and avoiding strong hits. Small irregularities are absorbed by tires while bigger irregularities are absorbed by the elastic elements of the system. It is important to avoid excessive oscillations on the suspension, this is achieved by shock absorbers which restrict this oscillating movement generated by elastic elements, preferentially by critically damping the system. There are two fundamental components in the vehicle weight: the first one is suspended weight (the weight of the chassis and everything loaded on the chassis), the second one is non-suspended weight (tires, brake system, etc.). The suspension system is the link between both [2]. 3.2 Automotive dynamics Starting from a free body diagram and considering the variables that appear in figure 1, load equations for each axle were obtained for different conditions. Table 1. Nomenclature. Weight Horizontal force at auxiliary axle Front axle weight Mass

Drive axle weight Velocity Auxiliary axle weight Curve ratio Equivalent axle Moment at front axle Slope angle Moment at equivalent axle Acceleration Elastic stiffness of front axle Gravity Elastic stiffness of rear axle Horizontal force at front axle Roll center of front suspension Horizontal force at driving axle Roll center of rear suspension Figure 1. Free body diagram with variables and geometric parameters.

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EngOpt 2012 3rd International Conference on Engineering Optimization
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 01 - 05 July 2012.

(1) =
++

(2) Where = 0.7223 (3) = 0.2777 (4) In a similar way, equations for horizontal and vertical forces due to the cornering condition can be obtained: =
2

1.38 +0.38 1.38 +0.38 +1.38

(5) =
2

1.38 + +0.38

(6) =
2

3.6 + +

(7) =
12

+1

+
2

(8) =
12

+1

+
2

(9) 4. Methodology 4.1 Applied loads From equations presented in 3.2, loads associated to each of the three bus axles are determined for the assumption of a bus at maximal load. The conditions evaluated are: suspended weight (SW), which is a static bus at maximum load (209 kN); acceleration (AC) and braking (BR), which determine the load transfer between front and rear axles; cornering, which represents the load transfer from one side of the bus to the other; cornering and braking, this implies superposition of two conditions mentioned before. For acceleration and braking the values considered involve the slope of the road surface that produces a critical load at the front or rear axles (2), negative slope for front axle (FA) and positive slope for drive (DA) and auxiliary (AA) axles, depending on the case. In the combination of two conditions, curving and braking, the vertical (right (VR) and left (VL)) and horizontal (HORIZ) forces to apply at each side of the three axles are shown in figure 2. Figure 2. Loads distribution by axle for different conditions evaluated. a) Static weight (SW), acceleration (AC) and, braking (BR); b) cornering and braking.

4.2 Modeling The geometry of the different part was obtained directly from the CAE files for each commercial suspension axle shown in figure 3, the cross-section of each part and freedom degrees were identified either for part-part movement or part-bus body elements.

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EngOpt 2012 3rd International Conference on Engineering Optimization
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 01 - 05 July 2012.

Figure 3. Solid drawing with fastener names for a) front axle (FA), b) drive axle (DA) and, c) auxiliary axle (AA). Modeling of the parts was done considering wire elements, to which mechanical properties of steel and corresponding cross-sections were assigned. Additionally, connectors were used for the modeling of the dynamic components such as air springs, shock absorbers and tires, from loads obtained to each axle characteristic curves behavior were assigned. Figure 4 shows the characteristic curves for front and rear axles and shock absorbers respectively. Table 2 shows the elastic stiffness constant (k) and damping coefficient (B) assigned to each tire. Figure 4. Characteristic curves assigned to a) frontal and rear air spring and, b) shock absorber [3]. Table 2. Elastic stiffness (k) and damping coefficient assigned to tires [4]. Tire values k [kN/m] 860 B [Ns/m] 4000 The general idea of the process is shown in figure 5, where, from the initial solid assembly of suspension systems, geometry and space points of interest for all different components in the draft. This information allows drawing and assembly in the software and finally to obtain a model for each suspension. Despite model simplifications associated to the use of wire elements, the graphic representation allows visualization of the assigned cross-section to each element for a better understanding. A model of each axle is presented in figure 6. With the model of each axle and all the fasteners developed, the loads were applied to the corresponding tire. Reaction forces and moments were obtained at all fasteners, air springs (AS); shock absorbers (SA); as well as all superior (SF) and inferior (IF) fastener elements. For the first set of loading conditions, due to symmetry there is no difference between right and left side, but for curving there are important differences and then it is necessary to differentiate between right and left reactions. The code used to identify the fasteners of each axle are shown in figure 3.

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EngOpt 2012 3rd International Conference on Engineering Optimization
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 01 - 05 July 2012.

Figure 5. Modeling process. Figure 6. Axle visualization with cross-section rendered. a) front, b) drive and, c) auxiliary axle respectively.

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EngOpt 2012 3rd International Conference on Engineering Optimization
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 01 - 05 July 2012.

5. Results and discussion The graphics presented in figure 7 show critical cases to each axle. For the front axle this is the braking with a negative slope condition, which increases loads at this axle; for drive and auxiliary axles loads obtained under an acceleration condition with a positive slope are reported. Graphics a), b) and c) in figure 7 show the reaction force components for the front, drive and auxiliary axles respectively. HTRF corresponds to horizontal reaction force on a transversal bus direction, that is, from one side to the other; HLRF corresponds to horizontal reaction force on a longitudinal bus direction, this is, from the front of the bus, to rear, and; VRF corresponds to reaction force in vertical direction. Given that critical loads are in vertical direction, located at air spring fasteners, the size of these reaction forces is presented in figure 7 d). The largest reaction forces are located at frontal axle for the air springs and equals 35 kN approximately, related to the fact that this axle has only two elements to support loads, while the rear axles have six air springs to distribute loads. Likewise, for this condition, transverse reaction forces occur of approximately 21-23 kN. Reaction forces in the rear axles still mainly occur at the fasteners for the air spring, leaving other fasteners with loads which are an order of magnitude smaller. For cornering and braking, reaction forces are not symmetrical and therefore it is required to specify side, either right of left (RAS,LAS, RIF, LIF), where the reaction force appears. As in figure 7 d), magnitude of reaction forces are shown in figure 8. For the front axle the largest reaction force still appears at one air spring while superior and inferior fasteners shown a similar response to those found for previous conditions, where superior fasteners are exposed to larger loads than inferior ones. Drive and auxiliary axles show a similar distribution of reaction forces at the air springs as in the case of the front axle, however for both rear axles, a considerable increase in reaction force is observed in two of the four fasteners. For the drive axle, the most important increase of reaction forces was at superior fasteners, despite the asymmetry due to curving, the magnitude of the reaction forces is quite similar but, from figure 9 b) it can be observed that direction of both is different. For the auxiliary axle the reaction force increase is manifested in a similar way, with symmetrical magnitude and different direction, as can be seen in figure 9 c), but in this case at inferior fasteners. For all three axles, the reaction forces obtained at the shock absorber fasteners remain negligible, however those values cannot be considered small all the time because they are elements whose reaction depends on velocity and will increase under dynamic conditions