What is a leaf spring?

A leaf spring is a type of spring made by a number of plates

(leaves) stacked upon each other in increasing order of sizes. It is
used to absorb shocks and vibrations in heavy commercial
vehicles like trucks, vans, buses, etc.  

Construction of Leaf spring

Following are the parts of leaf spring
Metal plates or leaves
Central clamp
Rebound clips
Central clamp
The central clamp’s function is to hold all the
leaves together. It consists of U bolts and a
central bolt so that the leaves don’t fall apart.  
Rebound clips
The rebound clips are made up of steel bands
placed at a certain position on either side of
the central clamp and its main function is to
prevent the leaf spring from failing during a
rebound.
Assembly of leaf spring
The leaf spring is placed below the axle and U
bolts are passed over the axle and the plate for
U bolts is placed below the leaf spring such that
the leaf spring is sandwiched between the axle
at the top and the plate at its bottom when
tightened. Refer to the figure given below.  
Leaf Springs
In order to have an idea of working principle of a leaf spring,
let us think of the diving board in a swimming pool. The diving
board is a cantilever with a load, the diver, at its free end. The
diver initiates a to and fro swing of the board at the free end
and utilizes the spring action of the board for jumping. The
diving board basically is a leaf spring.
MULTI-LEAF SPRING
Pg= Portion of P taken by the
graduated length leaves (N)

The group of graduated length

leaves along with the master
leaf can be treated as a
triangular plate.
The deflection at the end of
the spring is determined
R1 > R2
The master leaf has a larger radius of curvature compared to the
additional leaf that is placed below so obviously a gap will be created
between the two leaves as indicated in the figure. Now, an initial bent
is created during assembly by tightening the central bolt. Therefore,
some amount of compressive stress will be produced at the inside
curvature of the master leaf. Similarly, at the outside curvature of the
master leaf tensile stress will be produced. Both these stresses are
initial stresses in the master leaf. However, by such operation of
tightening the central bolt, the additional leaf that is placed beneath
the master leaf has a tendency to flatten out and as a result the stress
pattern of the additional leaf will be reverse of that of the master leaf,
tensile stress is produced at the inner curvature and compressive stress
is produced at the outer curvature
Hence, when the spring is loaded, for both the master leaf and the additional leaf,
tensile stress will be produced at the inner curvature and compressive stress will be
produced at the outer curvature. Therefore, due to opposite nature of initial stress
and loading stress, the master leaf will experience lesser stress on both the surfaces.
However, due to same nature of initial stress and loading stress, the additional leaf is
stressed more compared to the master leaf. But, it is to be noted that the higher
stress on the additional leaf is actually shared between all other leaves than the
master leaf. This practice of stress relief in the master leaf is known as Nipping of leaf
spring. As a matter of fact, all the leaves of a laminated leaf spring do have certain
amount of nipping, so that there will be gaps between the leaves, as a result the
stresses will be uniformly distributed and accumulated dusts can also be cleaned.
Solving these two
equations
1.A semi-elliptic leaf spring used for automobile suspension consists of three extra full- length
leaves and 15 graduated-length leaves, including the master leaf. The centre-to- centre
distance between two eyes of the spring is 1 m. The maximum force that can act on the
spring is 75 kN. For each leaf, the ratio of width to thickness is 9:1. The modulus of elasticity
of the leaf material is 207 000 N/mm2. The leaves are pre-stressed in such a way that when
the force is maximum, the stresses induced in all leaves are same and equal to 450N/mm2.
Determine
(i) the width and thickness of the leaves;
(ii) the initial nip; and
(iii)the initial pre-load required to close the gap C between extra full-length
leaves and graduated-length leaves.
Solution
Given 2P = 75 kN, 2L = 1 m, b = 9t, nf = 3, ng = 15, E = 207 000 N/mm2, σb =
450 N/mm2

Step I : Width and thickness of the leaves

2P = 75 or P = 37 500 N
kN or L = 500 mm
2L = 1 m n = nf + ng = 3 + 15 =
b = 9t, 18
 Step II Initial
nip

Step III Initial pre-

load
2. A semi-elliptic multi-leaf spring is used for the suspension of the rear axle of a truck. It
consists of two extra full-length leaves and ten graduated-length leaves including the
master leaf. The centre-to-centre distance between the spring eyes is 1.2 m. The leaves
are made of steel 55Si2Mo90 (Syt = 1500 N/mm2 and E = 207 000 N/mm2) and the
factor of safety is 2.5. The spring is to be designed for a maximum force of 30 kN. The
leavesare pre-stressed so as toequalize stresses in all leaves.
Determine

(i) the cross-section of leaves; and

(ii) the deflection at the end of the spring.
Solution
Given 2 P = 30 kN, 2 L = 1.2 m, nf = 2, ng = 10, E = 207 000 N/mm2, Syt = 1500 N/mm2
(fs) = 2.5

Step I Cross-section of the leaves

2 P = 30 or P = 15 000
kN N
2 L = 1.2 m or L = 600 mm
Assuming a standard width of 60
mm,

Step II Deflection at the end of the

spring