Title: Elasto-plastic leaf spring model

Authors: Cor-Jacques Kat; Pieter Schalk Els

Addresses: Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, 0083, South Africa. ' Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, 0083, South Africa

Abstract: This paper presents a novel approach to the modelling of multi-leaf springs. The proposed leaf spring model is based on a material model analogy, as similar behaviour can be observed between the force-displacement relationship of leaf springs and the stress-strain relationships of engineering materials. The mechanisms governing the behaviour of materials and multi-leaf springs are discussed. Parameters are proposed that are able to describe the mechanical behaviour of the multi-leaf spring. The mechanical properties of the multi-leaf spring are combined with elasto-plastic material models to give the elasto-plastic leaf spring models. The elasto-plastic leaf spring models are implemented and their predictions are compared with experimental data. Good correlation is achieved for both sinusoidal and random displacement inputs.

Keywords: leaf springs; multi-leaf springs; leaf spring models; experimental validation; mechanical properties; elastoplastic modelling; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESMS.2011.043839

International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation, 2011 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.126 - 139

Published online: 21 Mar 2015 *

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