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DOI:10.5545/sv-jme.2009.046
To improve the quality of aluminum wheels, a new method for evaluating the fatigue life of
aluminum wheels is proposed in this paper. The ABAQUS software was used to build the static load finite
element model of aluminum wheels for simulating the rotary fatigue test. The equivalent stress amplitude
was calculated based on the nominal stress method by considering the effects of mean load, size, fatigue
notch, surface finish and scatter factors. The fatigue life of aluminum wheels was predicted by using the
equivalent stress amplitude and aluminum alloy wheel S-N curve. The results from the aluminum wheel
rotary fatigue bench test showed that the baseline wheel failed the test and its crack initiation was around
the hub bolt hole area that agreed with the simulation. Using the method proposed in this paper, the wheel
life cycle was improved to over 1.0105 and satisfied the design requirement. The results indicated that the
proposed method of integrating finite element analysis and nominal stress method was a good and efficient
method to predict the fatigue life of aluminum wheels.
2011 Journal of Mechanical Engineering. All rights reserved.
Key words: aluminum wheel, finite element analysis, static analysis, fatigue analysis
0 INTRODUCTION
Aluminum wheels should not fail during
service. Their strength and fatigue life are critical.
In order to reduce costs, design for light-weight
and limited-life is increasingly being used for
all vehicle components. In the actual product
development, the rotary fatigue test is used to
detect the strength and fatigue life of the wheel.
Therefore, a reliable design and test procedure is
required to guarantee the service strength under
operational conditions and full functioning of the
wheel.
Loads generated during the assembly may
cause significant levels of stress in components.
Under test conditions, these high levels of stress
alter the mean stress level which in turn, alters
the fatigue life and critical stress area of the
components as well. Guo, Bhandarkar and Lin
conducted finite element analysis and found
that the inclusion of clamp load improves the
prediction of the critical stress area and fatigue
life of aluminum wheels [1]. Grubisic and Fischer
examined wheel decisive parameters for design
and durability, including operational loads,
fatigue properties, which depend on material and
manufacturing technology, and design [2]. Hsu,
Wang and Liu proposed a probability-based model
*Corr. Authors Address: School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology,
Xiao Lingwei 200, Nanjing, China, liangmo@mail.njust.edu.cn
31
M = ( R + d ) F , (1)
Si
Mg
Ti
Fe
Cu
Zn
Mn
Al
Weight
[%]
6.5~7.5
0.25~0.45
0.08~0.20
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
Others
Table 2. The mechanics performance of A356 cast aluminum alloy (GB/T 1173-1995)
Alloy
Foundry
method
Heat
treatment
ZAlSi7MgA
A356
Metal Mold
casting
T6
Mechanics Performance
Brinell hardnessHBS
Tensile strength Elongation s
[%]
5/250/30
b [MPa]
225
80
33
b)
4 STATIC ANALYSIS
4.1 Baseline Design
Table 3. The maximum stress value of wheel key nodes (Baseline design) [MPa]
max
node
111606
7986
8024
6059
278799
22.5
45
67.5
90
112.5
135
157.5
180
152.54
64.75
51.31
3.07
147.62
164.82
101.76
18.34
31.40
113.16
89.04
72.74
30.69
34.54
36.02
116.06
128.14
92.05
77.61
2.04
64.45
112.99
118.99
139.90
60.71
1.88
81.24
128.33
78.48
112.56
37.33
22.92
69.43
35.47
86.28
117.04
23.28
91.21
33.48
159.60
152.54
64.75
51.31
3.07
147.62
Table 4. Maximum stress value of wheel key nodes (Improved design) [MPa]
max
node
192061
13037
11096
207190
238613
22.5
45
67.5
90
112.5
135
157.5
180
143.64
21.27
17.88
48.21
143.41
150.13
43.14
54.46
16.97
110.09
83.78
34.34
53.97
31.70
35.16
109.14
135.40
116.90
93.27
15.56
58.68
61.97
124.34
119.25
58.58
13.34
49.31
113.23
127.51
108.99
35.25
17.13
50.02
68.35
83.66
110.28
6.01
45.98
88.57
154.90
143.64
21.27
17.88
48.21
143.41
35
lg N 0 lg N
= lg 1 +
[lg(0.9 b ) lg 1 ] . (2)
lg N 3
Kf = 1 + q(Kt - 1),
(3)
1DN
= lg
1D
lg N lg N
0
lg N 0 3
b
1D
K fN
1
1 .
N
ae = K D a + a m , (4)
37
Table 5. Equivalent stress and fatigue life of wheel dangerous nodes (Baseline design)
Node
111606
7986
8024
6059
278799
max [MPa]
164.82
128.14
128.33
139.97
159.60
min [MPa]
1.88
22.92
18.34
3.07
2.04
a [MPa]
81.52
52.64
55.01
82.75
78.89
m [MPa]
83.47
75.56
73.35
68.41
80.83
[MPa]
98.19
67.73
69.76
71.52
94.95
life [cycle]
64486
439542
379627
155779
76531
Table 6. Equivalent stress and fatigue life of wheel dangerous nodes (Improved design)
node
192061
13037
11096
207190
238613
38
max [MPa]
150.13
135.40
124.34
127.51
154.90
min [MPa]
13.34
6.01
17.88
16.97
15.56
a [MPa]
68.39
64.77
53.20
55.32
69.67
m [MPa]
81.73
70.70
71.12
72.24
85.23
[MPa]
84.74
78.84
67.42
69.70
86.72
life [cycle]
137780
200198
448512
378053
122309
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
7 REFERENCES
[1] Guo, M., Bhandarkar, R., Lin, B. (2004).
Clamp load consideration in fatigue life
prediction of a cast aluminum wheel
using finite element analysis. Society of
Automotive Engineer, Inc. Warrendale,
Pennsylvania.
[2] Grubisic, V., Fischer, G. (1998). Design
criteria and durability approval of wheel
hubs. Society of Automotive Engineer, Inc.
Warrendale, Pennsylvania.
[3] Hsu, Y.-L., Wang, S.-G., Liu, T.-C. (2004).
Prediction of fatigue failure of aluminum
disc wheel using the failure probability
contour based on historical test data.
Journal of the Chinese Institute of Industrial
Engineers, vol. 21, no. 6, p. 551-558.
[4] Kocabicak, U., Firat, M. (2001). Numerical
analysis of wheel cornering fatigue tests,
Engineering Failure Analysis, vol. 8, p. 339354.
[5] Ramamurty Raju, P., Satyanarayana,
B., Ramji, K., Suresh Badu, K. (2007).
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[18]
39