Multibody Dynamics Analysis of Tandem Axle Rubber Suspension Using MSC ADAMS 2021-28-0201

Tipper application has always been associated with rough roads and very high payload. This makes suspension design the most complex job as it has to cater for needs ranging from good ride at no load condition to stability of vehicle at fully loaded condition. Bogie suspension being most commonly used brings in maintenance and breakdown issues which is not desirable by the fleet owners, due to the cost and downtime associated with it. Rubber suspension has been looked upon as options due to its ability to not only provide good ride and stability but also to be almost maintenance free. Tandem axle walking beam rubber suspension is thus suitable for tipper application and has started to make its space in Indian market. Suspension design and development includes costly processes in terms of testing. FEA being the most common tool used for component design, requires inputs like forces acting on each component in various directions which is quite complex to predict. RLDA being an option to provide this input, brings with it a huge cost associated. Also RLDA cannot predict data at all locations and thus fails to cater the need. ADAMS is the tool which can provide the desired output forces to be used as input for design activity. This research work caters to the same needs and is thus a critical activity in research and development of the tandem axle walking beam rubber suspension. ADAMS modeling involves template, subsystem and assembly building of walking beam suspension, involving inclusion of all the compliances, stiffness, damping and loading. Providing all the above inputs makes the model close to accuracy. Force distribution for critical components is being predicted for longitudinal, lateral and vertical loading case.