Finite Element Analysis of Composite Material-Based Leaf Spring using ANSYS Software

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced polymeric composites are widely used in a variety of technical industries, including automotive, aviation, military, and marine. Utilising composite materials to reduce weight without sacrificing material strength is necessary to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, especially in the automotive industry. Traditional steel leaf springs are components that greatly impact car weight while also providing ride comfort and vehicle stability. As a result, Fibre reinforced polymeric composites with several remarkable qualities such as high wear resistance high strength; long fatigue life, corrosion resistance, and low density are suitable materials for these applications. Three distinct composite-based mono-leaf springs were designed and analyzed in this thesis. The investigations revealed that the 0° unidirectional glass Fibre system did not provide the desired spring rate properly. As a result, alternate combinations of glass and carbon hybrid systems were investigated. The research showed that the [0°6G/0°2C/0°22G] S material configuration produced the desired spring rate. When the outcomes were compared to the FEA results, it was found that they agreed.