Method for the Kinetostatic Analysis of the Road Vehicles Axle Suspensions

The purpose of the research is to develop a numerical method for the kinetostatic analysis of linkages that guide the rear beam axle of some road vehicles (mainly, commercial and off-road vehicles). The study is performed in two distinctive stages, which are then integrated in an unitary numerical algorithm, with the aim to evaluate the way in which the suspension system behaves under various loading states. For beginning, the static equilibrium of the suspension mechanism is expressed by considering the external loads and the reactions that occur in the force generating elements of the suspension system, depending on the linear and angular deformations of these flexible (compliant) elements. In the second stage, the kinematics of the suspension mechanism is performed by an original analytical algorithm, with the aim to establish the variations of the global coordinates of the design points that are used to express the linear and angular deformations of the compliant elements. Then, the two algorithms are coupled in an optimization problem that intend to determine the value(s) of the independent kinematic parameter(s) for which the minimum value of the static equation is reached.