Virtual Fatigue and Durability Integrated Simulation Analysis of Rear Axle Housing Based on Mode Superposition Method

Rear axle housing is a key load-carrying component of a mining truck, so its fatigue life represents level of the vehicle reliability. Virtual fatigue and durability integrated simulation method is employed to study fatigue life of axle housing used in mining truck. Utilizing ADAMS/Durability enabled complete integration of key virtual prototyping techniques included finite element analysis, multi-body simulation, and fatigue life prediction. The finite element model of rear axle housing and A-frame is built, and modal analysis is performed and post-processed in MSC Patran to get modal information which includes inherent frequency and modal shape. By means of mode superposition method, the displacement and stress of axle housing and A-frame are calculated in multi-body dynamic simulation, and a whole stress-time history in real working condition is made for fatigue life prediction. Fatigue and durability analysis is performed by MSC Fatigue, and the results show that dangerous points are distributed on upper and lower shell in the center and the connection area between housing and axle tube.