Frictional behavior of automotive leaf spring

Frictional characteristics of automotive leaf spring was analyzed experimentally and numerically. Compression test was performed to leaf spring used in commercial trucks from which load-displacement and load-strain results were obtained. As expected, hysteresis phenomenon was observed due to the interleaf friction. Load-strain relation was not symmetric as supports of leaf spring were unequal : one is a simple pin and the other is a pin connected by a shackle. Numerical analysis was performed by using commercial finite element analysis program MARC and the load-displacement hysteresis curve was successfully simulated and the static spring rate was in good agreement with experimental data. However, calculated strain values and friction force were different from those of measured values. Finally it was found that the effect of a shackle was not negligible since it affected loaddisplacement behavior significantly.