Structure Design of GFRP Composite Leaf Spring: An Experimental and Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

Due to the high load-bearing capacity and light weight, composite leaf spring with variable width and variable thickness has been increasingly used in the automobile industry to replace the conventional steel leaf spring with a heavy weight. The optimum structural design of composite leaf spring is particularly favorable for the weight reduction. In this study, an effective algorithm is developed for structural optimization of composite leaf spring. The mechanical performance of composite leaf spring with designed dimensions is characterized using a combined experimental and computational approach. Specifically, the composite leaf spring with variable width and variable thickness was prepared using the filament winding process, and the three-dimensional finite element (FE) model of the designed composite leaf spring is developed. The experimental sample and FE model of composite leaf spring are tested under the three-point bending method. From experimental and simulation results, it is shown that the bending stiffness of the designed leaf spring meets the design requirement in the automotive industry, while the results of stress calculation along all directions meet the requirements of material strength requirement. The developed algorithm contributes to the design method for optimizing the stiffness and strength performance of the composite leaf spring.