Shwetha Patil
Independent Researcher
India
Abstract
This manuscript presents a comprehensive structural analysis of a composite leaf spring using ANSYS Workbench, aligned with engineering practices and technologies available up to 2016. Composite leaf springs, made of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer laminates, offer weight savings and corrosion resistance compared to traditional steel springs. We develop a finite element model to evaluate stress distribution, deflection, and natural frequencies under static loading. Validation is performed against published experimental data from two case studies. Key findings include a maximum von Mises stress of 135 MPa at 10 mm deflection and a fundamental natural frequency of 45 Hz. Research gaps identified pertain to fatigue life prediction under variable amplitude loading and optimization of laminate stacking sequences. A detailed methodology outlines material characterization, meshing strategy, boundary conditions, and solver settings. Results demonstrate that the composite spring meets target load-deflection characteristics with a 40 % weight reduction. Conclusions underscore the feasibility of composite leaf springs for light-duty automotive applications and recommend future work on multi-objective optimization and long-term durability studies.
Keywords
Composite leaf spring, ANSYS Workbench, finite element analysis, glass-fiber-reinforced polymer, stress distribution, natural frequency
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