A test rig for measuring the quasi-static performance of tandem suspensions in the laboratory was build and measurements on a standard tandem steel suspension showed to have high effective stiffness in bounce and poor load equalization. Introducing rubber blocks into the sliding contacts significantly reduced the hysteresis in bounce and improved the load equalization performance. Simple models of the trailer indicated that the spring stiffnesses could be halved without significant detrimental effect on static roll-over threshold and static deflection. A validated two-dimensional articulated vehicle simulation was used to study the effect on dynamic tyre forces of the rubber block modification, and the effect of softer springs and additional hydraulic dampers on the trailer suspension. When rubber blocks were used to eliminate friction at the spring-ends, additional viscous damping was found to be necessary. However, it was estimated that the damping needed to minimize the DLCs (dynamic load coefficient) requires an impractically large number of dampers if standard or half-stiffness springs were used. The effect of fitting rubber blocks, half-stiffness springs and two hydraulic dampers per axle side was predicted by simulation. The trailer axle DLCs were predicted to reduce by approximately 31 %, and the road damage by the trailer axles to reduce by 13 %. The trailer suspension was successfully modified to incorporate these modifications. The modifications were entirely bolt-on and could be fitted to vehicles in service. Averaged over the five test speeds, the measured trailer axle DLCs were reduced by 15,5 % and the measured road damage by the trailer axles was reduced by 5,2 %.
Modification of a heavy vehicle suspension to reduce road damage
Eine modifizierte Federung von Schwerlastfahrzeugen zur Minderung der Fahrbahnschädigung
1995
12 Seiten, 15 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 19 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
Modification of a Heavy Vehicle Suspension to Reduce Road Damage
SAGE Publications | 1995
|Modification of a heavy vehicle suspension to reduce road damage
Automotive engineering | 1995
|Modification of a heavy vehicle suspension to reduce road damage
Online Contents | 1995
|Vehicle suspension design to reduce road damage.
Automotive engineering | 1975
|Vehicle suspension design to reduce road damage
Tema Archive | 1975
|