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Wheel Rim Fatigue
Wheel Rim Fatigue
Wheel Rim Fatigue
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Model Definition
The wheel rim for this analysis is a ten-spoke example where the design elements of the geometry cause the finite element mesh to become quite large. To reduce the size of the problem, use an iterative solver and make use of symmetry while modeling. The loading on the tire is composed of both the tire pressure and a rotating load (drum load) transferred from the tire to the rim. In this case, only the geometry is symmetric, while the loading (which moves) is not. Because the problem is linear, superposition
of load cases is possible. Any load on a symmetric structure can be separated into one symmetric and one antisymmetric load, as the following figure illustrates.
Symmetric load case P/2 Antisymmetric load case P/2 P Applied load
P/2 P/2
-P/2
Symmetry plane
P/2
P/2
-P/2
Figure 1: Superposition of symmetric and antisymmetric load cases to obtain the stress distribution for a load applied in two locations. For an applied load at a certain position you can solve the model using one half of the geometry with symmetric and antisymmetric boundary conditions, respectively. Adding and subtracting the solution from these load cases results in the stress distribution for a load applied in two symmetric positions, as outlined in Figure 1. In the analysis you study the problem in a coordinate system fixed to the wheel rim, where the load rotates around the wheel. Assume that the load on the rim extends 30 in each direction from the point of contact. It is reasonable to analyze the stress distribution with the point of contact evenly spread out at ten locations around the
rim. For the modeled half of the geometry this is equivalent to six load positions with 36 interval between them as shown in the following figure.
108 144
72 36
180
You can model the moving load by letting the parametric solver step through the parameter values, which you can then use in the load expression to control its location and distribution. Use Table 1 and Table 2 to find each load case by its parameter value and load angle. Combine the load cases according to Table 3 to calculate the stress distribution for load positions around the entire wheel. The designations used in the Combination column correspond to load cases listed in Table 1 and Table 2.
TABLE 1: SYMMETRIC LOAD CASES PARAMETER VALUE DESCRIPTION DESIGNATION
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Drum load 108o Drum load 144 Drum load 180 Tire pressure
2 3 4 5
Tire pressure + Drum load 72o Tire pressure + Drum load 108 Tire pressure + Drum load 144 Tire pressure + Drum load 180 Tire pressure + Drum load 252 Tire pressure + Drum load 288 Tire pressure + Drum load 324
st7 + (sd4 + ad4)/2 st7 + (sd5 + ad5)/2 st7 + sd6 st7 + (sd5 - ad5)/2 st7 + (sd4 - ad4)/2 st7 + (sd3 - ad3)/2 st7 + (sd2 - ad2)/2
Elastic data: Isotropic with E = 70 GPa, = 0.33. Fatigue data: The fatigue limit is known for two cases with pure axial loading. For pure tension it is 95 MPa, and for fully reversed loading it is 125 MPa. This gives the Findley parameters f = 84 MPa and k = 0.30 if Equation 13-16 in the Structural Mechanics Module Users Guide is applied.
CONSTRAINTS
Symmetric load cases: Symmetry condition (normal displacement fixed) in the symmetry plane. Antisymmetric load cases: Antisymmetry condition (transverse displacement fixed) in the symmetry plane.
LOADS
Tire pressure: The overpressure is 2 bar = 200 kPa. Rotating drum load: The total load carried by the wheel corresponds to a weight of 1120 kg. It is applied as a pressure on the rim surfaces where the tire is in contact. Assume that the load distribution in the circumferential direction can be approximated as p = p0cos( 3 ), where is the angle from the point of contact between the drum and the tire. The loaded area thus extends 30 in each direction. The parameter ksolv in the following expression is used to control the location of the load: y ( 2 k solv 7 ) - -------------------------------- p = p 0 ( k solv < 6 ) cos 3 atan - x 10 ( 3 k solv 13 ) ( 3 k solv 8 ) y y - < ------------------------------------ > ------------------------------- atan - atan - x 15 x 15
Tire pressure
Mesh the rim surface with a fine mesh to resolve all the details, and to avoid inverted and linearized elements, which may influence the fatigue analysis. The final finite-element mesh consists of approximately 310,000 tetrahedral elements, giving a total number of approximately 1,500,000 degrees of freedom.
Figure 2: von Mises stress distribution for the combined loading with the rotating drum load at 144. The computed fatigue utilization factor is shown in Figure 3. The maximum value is 0.717. As you can see the critical regions are on the inside where the spokes connect to the mid part of the rim. When comparing with the stress plot in Figure 2, note that high stresses will not always lead to a high utilization factor. This is the case for the two edges that run around the rim holding the tire in place.
Figure 3: Distribution of the fatigue utilization factor. By looking at the plot in Figure 4 you can understand the nonproportional nature of the stress history. Here you can see how the components of the stress tensor change at the most critical point as the load rotates around the wheel. For proportional loading
there would only be a scale difference between the curves. But in this case principal directions of the stress tensor change with each step.
Figure 4: Stress history at the location with the highest fatigue utilization factor.