Publication

Abstract : Conventional materials used for an automotive suspension system are one of the key parameters which influence the vehicle weight. Hence the use of composite material for suspension system would offer a significant benefit of being light in weight also have a high life span compared to existing materials, without compromising the load-carrying capacity and stiffness. The primary emphasis of this paper is on gaining a finite element-based performance analysis of advanced composite materials as a substitute for conventional materials used for the application of leaf spring suspension of an automobile. The leaf springs were modeled using CATIA, to replace the existing material of steel alloy and carbon alloy leaf springs with a composite material (Carbon Fiber-reinforced polymer) for a pickup truck and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was performed using ANSYS for static load condition and the results were compared with conventional leaf spring materials to determine the structural characteristics. Furthermore, vibrational characteristics were also presented by modal analysis for the designed leaf springs. It was inferred from the results that advanced composite materials are light in weight, optimal, and ideal material for the leaf spring offering better structural & mechanical behavior.