Strength Analysis And Study On Design Method Of Passenger Car Road Wheels

This paper focuses on studying the method to guide the wheel structure design with finite element analysis. The forces and moments having significant effects on wheel strength on road were analyzed. The loading and restraint conditions were reviewed for building wheel finite element analysis model.I-DEAS finite element analysis software was used to make static state finite element analysis of wheel. The rim, spoke and loading shaft are included in the finite element model constructed, where the rim and spoke are meshed with planar shell elements and the loading shaft with tetrahedron elements. The constraints and loading are applied according to the dynamic cornering fatigue test. In order to verify the finite element model of the wheel, experimental stress analysis was made. The differences between measured and calculated stresses with the wheel finite element analysis model are between 0.0% and 19.9%, indicating that the accuracy of the model can meet engineering requirement.The results of static finite element analysis made for a passenger car wheel show that the critical areas are mainly located near the ventilation holes and on the hat of the spoke. Higher stress values are in the inner skin of the spoke. And fatigue damages occurred in these areas of high stress value in the dynamic cornering fatigue tests made, which indicates that such analysis is effective in predicting the areas of fatigue crack initiation.The stress distribution in the wheel structure can be quite accurately predicted with finite element analysis, which can reveal the direction to make wheel structure improvement, namely, lowering the extent of stress concentration and making the stress distribution as uniform as possible. In such a way, wheel strength can be assured and lightweight design obtained. Different measures for improving the structure strength of a wheel were evaluated with the method of finite element analysis mentioned above and the measures which can effectively lower the stresses in the critical areas of the wheel were found. The measures were taken in improving the structure design of a passenger car wheel. Dynamic cornering fatigue test was done for this improved wheel, which reveals that its fatigue strength is effectively enhanced. And its weight is also reduced. All these demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.