Failure Analysis of the Leaf Spring of Truck Colt Diesel Using Finite Element Method

Abstract

Abstract Damage is often experienced by leaf springs of diesel trucks, known as premature failure and is need to be analyzed. Thus, this study aims to analyze the causes of failure of leaf springs through analytical and numerical analyses. Hardness testing was performed using the Rockwell method. Microstructure was observed using scanning electron microscopy to identify the fracture surface. Analytical and numerical analyses were used to obtain the load distribution of each spring. The analysis results of load distribution on each spring were 26.95 kN. The chemical composition of the specimen shows that the material was tested according to AISI 5150 standard. The hardness value of leaf springs tested was HRB 106.9. The Result of numerical and analytical shows that the strain, stress and deformation of leaf springs with maximum values occurred at the near of hole of spring. The K I value ≈ KIC , therefore this may cause crack propagation. The failure of leaf springs was caused by fatigue during the operation marked by a beach mark and the normal stress is far below the specimen fatigue strength.