F2010B027
An Experimental Study of Automotive Bushing for Torsional Mode
A bushing is an essential device used in automotive suspension systems to cushion the load transmitted from the wheel to the frame of the vehicle. A bushing is an elastomeric hollow cylinder which is bonded to a solid metal shaft at its inner surface and a metal sleeve at its outer surface. The shaft is connected to the suspension and the sleeve is connected to the frame. The cylindrical bushing provides the cushion when it deforms due to the relative motion between the shaft and sleeve. Simulation of the automotive suspension system involves the interaction between many components. The accuracy of the bushing modeling affects the accurate determination of the transmitted forces and moments among components, the motion of the components, the stresses in the components, and energy dissipation. The purpose of the proposed research is to study a specific automotive bushing modeling approach for torsional mode through the experiments. The relation between the moment applied to the shaft and its rotational angle exhibits features of viscoelasticity. A moment-rotational angle relation for a bushing is important for the numerical simulations of multi-body dynamics. Hence, an explicit moment-rotational angle relation is introduced, which can be used in multi-body dynamics simulations. The relation between the moment and its rotational angle is expressed in terms of a moment relaxation function, and a method for its determination from experiments on bushings is developed. The proposed approximate relation is explicit, but approximate, and is expressed in terms of a moment relaxation property determined from experimental results. The moment relaxation property in the explicit moment-rotational angle relation was determined by a method which extrapolates results obtained from experiment. Solutions allow for comparison between the moment-rotational angle behavior by experiment and that predicted by the proposed model. It is shown that the predictions of the proposed moment-rotational angle relation for the bushing are in good agreement with the experimental results under the practical operating regions.
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