STRESS ANALYSIS OF

CRANKSHAFT
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS (LAB PROJECT)

SUBMITTED BY:

BARAN SHAFQAT 2015-ME-1

AHMAD NOOR 2015-ME-2

TALHA WASEEM 2015-ME-3

HASEEB AHMAD 2015-ME-4

DECEMBER 10, 2016

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Abstract:
Crankshaft is one of the critical components for the effective and precise working
of internal combustion engines. It also has complex shape. In its period of working, it
encounters various sorts of applied forces by the connecting rods attached with the piston
of the IC-engine. The tangential forces generate transverse shearing, bending and
twisting in the crank arm while on the other hand the radial component of the force
generates the direct stresses and bending.

The main objective of the study is to investigate different circumstances under which a
crankshaft needs to perform maximum efficiency and understand the effects of various
parameters like fatigue, twisting, bending and torsion on its working. The main role is
presented by the help of a Finite Elemental Analysis software in showing their adverse
effects on the crank shaft in IC-engines.

Generally cranks are designed for two different positions i.e. maximum twisting moment
and maximum bending moment positions. The static analysis is conducted on the crank
shaft with different materials in different orientations on LISA 8.0.
Introduction:
Crankshaft is one of the most
important moving parts in internal
combustion engine. It is the basic component,
which converts the reciprocating displacement
of the piston into rotary motion with a four
link mechanism. It has complex geometry. The
crank pin is like a built in beam with a
distributed load along its length that varies
with crank positions. Each web is like a cantilever beam subjected to bending and
twisting. The crankshaft experiences a cyclic load because of the cyclic-load fatigue
failure occur over a period. The fatigue analysis has to be considered in the design stage.

It must be strong enough to bear the downward force of the power stroked
without excessive bending. So, the reliability and life of internal combustion engine
depend on the strength of the crankshaft mainly. And as the engine runs, the power
impulses hit the crankshaft in one place and then another, the torsional vibration
appears when a power impulse hits a crankpin toward the front of the engine and
the power stroke ends.

The design and development of crankshaft is always been an important task for
the production industry to reduce the manufacturing cost of the product, minimum
weight possible and proper fatigue strength and other functional requirements.

In the paper, 3-D finite element analysis are carried out on the modal analysis of
crankshaft and the thermal analysis of crankshaft, and the FME software LISA 8.0.is used
to simulate the modal analysis of the crankshaft. The results of natural frequencies and

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of the multi-cylinder engine crankshaft

mode shape were obtained. And deformation distributions of crankpin were obtained by
using LISA 8.0. Software. The results are regarded as a theory basis to optimize the design
of crankshaft and thermal analysis of crankshaft.

Function of Crankshafts in IC Engines

The crankshaft, connecting rod, and piston constitute a
four bar slider-crank mechanism i.e. the working
principle of the crank shaft in the IC engine, which
converts the sliding motion of the piston (slider in the
mechanism) to a rotary motion. Since the rotation
output is more practical and applicable for input to
other devices, the concept design of an engine is that
the output would be rotation. In addition, the linear
displacement of an engine is not smooth, as the
displacement is caused by the combustion of gas in the
combustion chamber. Therefore, the displacement has
sudden shocks and using this input for another device
may cause damage to it. The concept of using
crankshaft is to change these sudden displacements to
a smooth rotary output, which is the input to many Figure 2: Working of crankshaft

devices such as generators, pumps, and compressors. It should also be mentioned that
the use of a flywheel helps in smoothing the shocks.

Conditions under which a Crankshaft works:

The main highly adversing conditions under which a crank shaft has to work are given
below and explained briefly

1. Directional solidification.
2. Torsion in the crank.
3. Bending of the disk.
4. Cracking.
5. High temperature zone.
6. High compression zone.
 7. High tension zone.

All the parameters are discussed in short details under it.

DIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION:
The main reason for the production of directional solidification in the crankshaft
is that its main journal bearing is connected with
the connecting rod in connection with the piston
in with the combustion of the gas is taking place.

The temperature on the ignition zone

reaches upto thousands degree Celsius causing a
large difference in the temperature of both the
sides of the crank shaft, one in connection with
the connecting rod affected by the heat due to
conduction and the other one is the connection
with the flywheel. Thus it generates a huge
possibility of the directional solidification in the
crankshaft. So the material selection should be
such that which can bear this type of directional solidification.

TORSION:
The combustion of the fuel in combustion chamber in the IC-engine generates a
huge amount of the impact load which affect the
disk of the crank shaft in the worse state. The
reason is that when the engine start and the first
power stroke is provided by the help of the
connecting rod to the crankshaft and then
finally to the flywheel attached with the
crankshaft.

In that case the material selected for the

manufacturing of the crank shaft should have
sufficient modulus of rigidity and also the
required moment of inertia to bear this torsion
in the crank shaft and transfer the complete
power to the flywheel without damaging the
crankshaft on a large scale or if it would damage, the harmful effect of this damage must be
upto a very small extent.

BENDING:
The rotation of the crankshaft in the IC
engine over a long period of time under the
power stroke in an intermittent manner can
encounter during its life with the bending of the
main journal bearing.

It would adversely affect the efficiency of

the crankshaft thus it indirectly badly effects the
life of the IC engine keeping this view in eye that
the working life if the IC engine depends on the
life of the crankshaft which provides only the
four-link mechanism to convert the reciprocating
motion of the piston into the circular or rotational
motion of the flywheel. The material selection
should be such that the effect of bending on the crank shaft during its working should be
minimum.

CRACKING:

Cracking is also one of the major effect on the efficiency of the crankshaft whose
basis are provided by the directional
solidification taking place in the crankshaft. It
would make a logic to study the materials or
making the material analysis before the election
of the required materials for the manufacturing of
the crankshaft.

The cracks, produced in the crankshaft, are

mainly due to generation of the compressive
forces in the direction of the lateral axis of the
crank shaft and the tensile stress about its
longitudinal axis which would make the tensile
forces to stretch the portion of the crankshaft
surface and eventually leading to the cracks in the crankshaft and hence decreasing the
life of the crankshaft. That’s why the required materials must be able to bear the resulting
tensile and compressive stresses in the crank shaft.

HIGH TEMPERATURE ZONE:

The ignition generated by the combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber
of the internal combustion engine, causes a
temperature range lying in hundreds or even in
thousands of Celsius and causing the melting of
the material of the crankshaft.

It would lead to an improper connection

with the main journal bearing and the side
bearing of the crankshaft and thus resulting in
worse results of the crankshaft damage and even
in the removal of the fly wheel from its case.
That’s why the material selection would make
the damage because of this high temperature
zone is the enforcing parameter of the fact the
material would withstand this high temperature.

HIGH COMPRESSION ZONE:

The main cause for the generation of the compression zone in the internal
combustion engine is the high application force from the connecting rod of the engine
attached with the crankshaft. The parent reason
is the combustion of the fuel already present in
the internal combustion engine.

As the fuel burns the power stroke

applies the force on the crankshaft and the
transmission of the force from one end of the
crankshaft to the other end by the help of the
main and side journals would be adversely
affected by the compression generated along its
lateral axis and generating the sink holes or
small pores in the crankshaft, eventually High compression zone
decreasing the working efficiency of the
crankshaft. The required material should be
such that it would bear the compression generated in the crankshaft so that the life of the
internal combustion engine would not decrease upto a significant extent.

HIGH TENSION ZONE:

The high tension zone in the crankshaft is mainly produced in the journal bearing
of the crank shaft and thus at the end resulting in the etching along a specific direction of
the main journal of the crankshaft depending upon the tensile stress saturation in the
crankshaft.

The tensile stresses generated in the main journal would also result in the excessive
elongation of the main journal thus it would decrease the maintained or it would be better
to state, the pre-settled distance between the disks of the crank shaft and causing the loss
connection between them by the elongation of the main journal and indirectly resulting
in the breaking of the crank shaft. This would make the incident even in more drastic
manner far beyond than was expected. Thus the result conducted from these are clear as
the selected material should bear the tension.

All these circumstances under which a crankshaft has to work are considered to make
enforcement in the selection of the material to gain the required efficiency in the
crankshaft keeping in account its life of working along with the required strength.

Wearing out of Bearing:

The crankshaft bearing wear out under these circumstances

1. Excessive heating.
2. High pressure.
3. Contaminated oil.
4. Dirt and debris.
 5. Oil-leakage.
6. Metal-on-metal contact.

EXCESSIVE HEATING:
In case of excessive heating in the absence of the sufficient oil i.e. the oil required
for cooling is not in the sufficient amount, the bearing of the crank shaft would wear out.

HIGH PRESSURE:
The application of high pressure with the same line of action over a long period of
time endanger also the efficiency of the crankshaft.

CONTAMINATED OIL:
If the oil filled for the cooling of the IC engine is sufficient for cooling but in
contaminated state would cause the generation of the etching or corrosion in the
crankshaft owing to the exposure to these chemicals or acids present in the contaminated
oil.

DIRT AND DEBRIS:

If the filled oil is free from contamination i.e. no more chemicals in the oil but it
may carry in much amount the dirt or debris and exposure to it would cause scratches in
the bearing in turn scratching the engine parts they contact.

OIL-LEAKAGE:
The leakage of the oil from its case in the engine would make it to dry out may
cause the wearing out of the bearing or the main journal of the crankshaft. Even if it is
not so, the blockage or the poor circulation of the oil would also cause the same adverse
results. It occurs owing to the incorrectly sized of fitted bearings.

METAL-ON-METAL CONTACT:
The journal bearing of the crankshaft would also be badly affected in case of metal-
on-metal contact in the IC engine as a result of drying out from poor oil flow.
Properties of good Crankshaft:
Crankshaft is device which converts the reciprocating motion to the circular motion by
its own circular motion. The most important properties that a crankshaft must possess
are listed below

It is used in the IC-engines to transfer the power and also to change the reciprocating
motion of the piston to the circular motion. In the engine it operates at specific and special
conditions so it must have desired properties so that it works properly and it could be
reliable. These properties may also change with respect to the change in the use of
crankshaft in the device and also by changing its environment in which it is working.

The most important properties that a crankshaft must possess are listed below:

1. Strength.
2. Stiffness.
3. Higher melting point.
4. Expansion.
5. Bending and Torsion.
6. Holes.
7. Flywheels.

STRENGTH:
In the operation of the crankshaft reciprocating motion is converted into circular
motion so crankshaft must be of high strength so that it can bear the reciprocating
movement of the piston. If it is of lower strength it may break during its operation thus
effecting the operation and destroying the whole procedure.

STIFFNESS:
Crankshaft has to rotate during its motion and conversion operation so it must be
stiff so that it can bear the rotation and thus not allowing for higher deflection. Higher
stiffness of the crankshaft makes it possible to have lower deflections and also resistant
to the torsion.

HIGHER MELTING POINT:

As the crankshaft has to operate under heavy conditions and at higher
temperature so it must have higher melting point so that it must not melt down.
And also it must be such that at higher temperatures its properties may reveal themselves
in an excellent manner.

EXPANSION:
When the temperature increases the metal expands this relation is governed by
coefficient of thermal expansion. Greater the coefficient of thermal expansion is, greater
is the expansion of material. Lower is the coefficient of thermal expansion, lower will be
the expansion. Crankshaft must be such that it must have lower thermal coefficient so
that at very high temperature it must not expand too much and its properties must not
change irregularly.

BENDING AND TORSION:

Due to the reciprocating motion of piston the crankshaft experiences the forces
and also bending is introduces in it, and also due to the rotational movement of the
crankshaft itself torsion is introduced in it.

Crankshaft must be such that it may experience less bending and less torsion so that
during operation its properties must not change.

HOLES:
Crankshaft operates at very high temperature in the IC-engine so there must be
the adequate supply of the oil so that its operation could be carried out easily.it must have
holes in it for the supply of lubricating oil so that friction could also be avoided.

FLY WHEEL:
Some of the crankshaft have also the fly wheel attached to them so that the power
and energy could be stored in the rotational motion of fly wheel and it could be used
whenever there is need of the energy.

Materials selected for Analysis:

The materials over which the study has been conducted and a few of the stress analysis
has been done on the materials for the election of the best one for the manufacturing after
studying the properties which are required by the good crankshaft to bear the
environment under which it works are explained briefly below:

1. Structural steel (QT800).

2. Ductile cast iron.
3. Nitride steel.
4. Forged steel.
 5. Composite material (steel and fibrous material).
6. Aluminium alloys (17ST).
7. Steel alloys.
8. Al 6061.

The materials along-with some of their properties and brief description are explained
below:

Poison’s ratio 0.28

STRUCTURAL STEEL (QT800):
Young’s 210 GPa
It is a type of stainless steel. It is used as a Modulus
construction material. It is used for I-beams, which Co-efficient of 13 x 10-6 0C/m
have high second moment of area, which makes them thermal
hard and stiff in respect to their cross sectional area. expansion
Ultimate tensile 900 MPa
strength

Poison’s ratio 0.28

DUCTILE CAST IRON:
Young’s 170 GPa
Ductile cast iron is not a single material, rather Modulus
it is made up of different types of materials which Co-efficient of 5.9 x 10-6 0C /m
determines its properties. It is used in automotive thermal
industries where high strength is required. expansion
Ultimate tensile 460 MPa
strength

Poison’s ratio 0.262

NITRIDE STEEL: Young’s 197 GPa
Nitride steel are generally medium carbon types Modulus
of alloys. It is used when the material has to go under Co-efficient of 1.2 x 10-6 0C /m
high stresses. It also includes other alloying elements thermal
with varying composition of nitrogen in it. expansion
Ultimate tensile 1005 MPa
strength
FORGED STEEL: Poison’s ratio 0.287
Young’s 200 MPa
Forged steel is produced by applying high
Modulus
mechanical force or hammering on the steel. The main
Co-efficient of 6.3 x 10-6 0C /m
advantage of using forged steel over stainless steel is
thermal
that it has almost 20% higher strength to weight ratio.
expansion
It is low dense as compared to cast steel, therefore it can
Ultimate tensile 995 GPa
be used in crankshaft which has to bear high stresses.
strength

COMPOSITE MATERIAL:

Composite materials contain more than one Poison’s ratio 0.21

elements. Steel in combination with the fibrous Young’s 41 GPa
material is one of the basic composite material which Modulus
usually contains Ni, Zr, Cu, Sn, Zn etc as its component. Co-efficient of 6 x 10-6 0C /m
These materials are usually used along with additional thermal
additives to provide high strength to the material and expansion
hence can also be used in automobile industry as well Ultimate 6 MPa
as constructions. tensile strength

ALUMINIUM ALLOYS (17ST): Poison’s ratio 0.32

Young’s 10.5 GPa
Aluminium alloys contain aluminum as a major Modulus
element along with other alloying elements. The most Co-efficient of 2.5 x 10-6 0C /m
important Al alloy is Al-Si alloy. These alloys are used thermal
for light weight parts of machines and where less expansion
expensive product is required. The aluminum oxide
Ultimate tensile 2.5 MPa
layer protects it from the corrosion.
strength
STEEL ALLOYS: Poison’s ratio 0.27
Alloy steels contain alloying elements up to a Young’s 200 GPa
range of 50%. The alloying elements are added to Modulus
improve the mechanical properties like tensile and Co-efficient of 1.5 x 10-6 0C /m
compressive strength of the material. Carbon is the basic thermal
component of steel and its increasing concentration expansion
makes the material harder and stiffer. Ultimate tensile 1.5 MPa
strength

ALUMINIUM 6061:

It is an aluminum alloy that contains magnesium Poison’s ratio 0.33

and silicon as its major alloying element. It is Young’s 69 GPa
characterized by high weldability. It is widely used in Modulus
automobiles because it is somewhat stronger alloy than Co-efficient of 2.6 x 10-6 0C m
others and have good mechanical properties like thermal
corrosion resistant. It can be easily processed for expansion
different products. Ultimate tensile 2.6 MPa
strength

Stress Analysis on LISA 8.0:

A few of the most important pictures showing very clearly the effect of the different types
of stresses generated in the crankshaft during its working and also the portions of the
crankshaft under the action of the large shearing and bending moments so as a result of
this analysis a few of the following assumptions can be made clear for the election of the
required material for the manufacturing of the crankshaft not only to increase its life of
working but also the threats of its link lossage conditions.

STRUCTURAL STEEL (QT800):

When structural steel is used in the

manufacturing of the crankshaft then under
the aspects of the properties of the structural
steel explained above the sections of the
maximum stress concentration because of the
torsion bending and the working
environment, the sections on the given below
figures are explained.

DUCTILE CAST IRON:

When ductile cast iron is used in the
manufacturing of the crankshaft, the
impartation of various of the properties in the
increasing characteristics of the crankshaft,
there must also then under the aspects of the
properties of the structural steel explained
above the sections of the maximum stress
concentration because of the torsion bending
and the working environment, the sections on
the given below figures are explained.

NITRIDE STEEL:

When nitride steel is used in the

manufacturing of the crankshaft, the properties
of the crankshaft increases along-with some of
its disadvantages that are transferred to the
crankshaft but not upto significant extent in
case of the nitride steel, the sections of the
maximum stress concentration are not shown appreciably but the point of the maximum
stress concentration are shown with the reactive forces acting on it as a result of the
torsion, bending and the working environment in the figure.
FORGED STEEL:

The forged steel used in the manufacturing of the

crankshaft not only increases the property of the crankshaft
under the working environment but also increases the stress
bearing properties of the crankshaft in order to reduce the
effects of cracking and also it working proficiency with the
basic end of keeping in mind to bear the torsional and bending
effects in the crankshaft upto the maximum effects. The effects
of the torsional twisting and bending has also been explained
in the figure shown in front of it. The figure clearly shows that the sudden impact of
loading on the crankshaft effects adversely the connecting joints of the crankshaft
resulting in the breaking of connection.

COMPOSITE MATERIAL:

When the composite materials are used for the

manufacturing of the crankshaft, the fact can’t be
ignored that the properties of the crankshaft are
increased upto the maximum extent but this fact can
also be not neglected that the impartment of the
stiffness by the composite material overcomes the
property enhancement done by using the composite
material. The effect of the composite material is quite
helpful in bearing the extensive load generated in the
form of sudden impact by the piston of the cylinder.
The effect of twisting in the crankshaft rotating in the
cylinder can also be expressed as shown in the figure.
The effect of these sorts of stresses along all the
dimensions of the space are clearly shown in the form of the subscript along-with the
picture showing these effects.

ALUMINIUM ALLOYS (17ST):

The use of aluminum alloys in the

manufacturing of the crankshaft is similar to just like
as we use the aluminum only for the manufacturing of
crankshaft in addition to the most prominently
increasing the strength of the crankshaft journal
bearing. It would require large amount of the force to
rotate the crankshaft. The large amount of the force
can easily be provided by the combustion of the fuel
in the combustion chamber of the IC-engine. But this
huge amount of force having sudden impact on the
crankshaft can cause the failures like cracking and
fracture breaking of the disk of the crankshaft. So it
would not be mostly preferred for the manufacturing of crankshaft.

STEEL ALLOYS:

The steel alloys which are used to

manufacture the crankshaft not only increases the
property of the crankshaft under the working
environment but also increases the stress bearing
properties of the crankshaft but also increase the
probability of cracking and also decreasing its
working efficiency despite of keeping in mind the
bearing of the torsional and bending effects in the
crankshaft upto the maximum effects. The effects of
the torsional twisting and bending has also been
explained in the figure shown in front of it. The
main reason for not preferring this material for the
manufacturing of the crankshaft is just because of
the toughness produced in the crankshaft due to the
presence of the other materials in addition to the
steel. The figure clearly shows that the sudden impact of loading on the crankshaft effects
adversely the connecting joints of the crankshaft resulting in the breaking of connection.
The readings written along-with the crankshaft are showing the intensity level of these
stresses.

ALUMINIUM 6061:

The use of aluminum which in that case can be

used for the manufacturing of the crankshaft is similar
to just like as we use the aluminum only for the
manufacturing of crankshaft in addition to the most
prominently increasing the strength of the
crankshaft journal bearing. It would require large
amount of the force to rotate the crankshaft. But the
advantage that we get can never be underestimated
that the threat of cracking is reduced upto the
maximum extent but unfortunately not upto the
maximum limit of the nitride steel. The force,
required to turn the crankshaft to deliver the rotational effect to the flywheel for the
further utilization, can easily be provided by the combustion of the fuel in the combustion
chamber of the engine. Keeping in view the advantages that we get from the nitride steel
we can’t prefer it for the practical functioning. So it would not be mostly preferred for the
manufacturing of crankshaft.

Conclusion:
Under the observations of all sorts of stress analysis that has been made on different types
of materials that are mostly used in different types of internal combustion engines, the
material suited to bear all sorts of stresses and respond in a better way is nitride steel.
This material is now-a-days is most commonly used by the many renown industries of
the crankshaft manufacturing like ATLAS.

REFERENCES:
1. Balamurugan M, Krishnaraj R, Sakthivel M, Kanthal K, Deepan Marudachalam M
G and Palani R (2011), “Computer Aided Modelling and Optimization of
Crankshaft”, International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research ,Vol. 2,
No. 8, pp. 2229-5518.
2. Baxter W J (1993), “Detection of Fatigue Damage in Crankshafts with the Gel
Electrode”, SAE Technical Paper No.930409, Society of Automotive Engineers,
Warrendale, PA, USA.
3. Hoffmann J H and Turonek R J (1992),“High Performance Forged Steel
Crankshafts - Cost Reduction Opportunities”, SAE Technical Paper No. 920784,
Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, USA.