MECHANICAL TESTING METHODS CONCERNING THE STRESS ANALYSIS FOR A VEHICLE WHEEL RIM

Wheels have vital importance for the safety of the vehicle and a special care is needed in order to ensure their durability. The development of the vehicle industry has strongly influenced the design, the material selection and the manufacturing processes of the wheels. The wheels loading manner is a complex one; further improvement and efficient wheel design will be possible only if their loading will be better understood. In this paper, the car rim is analyzed with the finite element method, using the 40 0 loading test. The static stresses are studied in order to find the zones with higher stress concentration and to suggest the better design solution. The results have been compared to those obtained using an experimental stand. Finally, the Wohler curve for the car rim is obtained.