Effects of Ageing Suspension Components of Heavy Vehicle on Vertical Displacement Dynamic Response

The usage of ageing suspension leaf springs and deflated tires can impact the dynamic response of heavy vehicles, often due to inadequate maintenance or delayed tire repairs. This can negatively affect ride comfort and cause damage to the pavement. To better understand this issue, a study was conducted to investigate the effects of using ageing suspension components and deflated tires on the vertical vibration of translating heavy vehicles under asymmetrical loading configurations and wheels eccentric kinematic excitations. The study used SIMWISE 4D to create virtual 3D 24 DOF translating heavy vehicle models with varying loading configurations and kinematic excitations. The models were analyzed to compare their vertical displacement dynamic responses at a specified vehicle speed, pothole depth, and diminished leaf springs and tire suspension properties. The results showed that the displacements and orientations of the sprung mass center of mass were shifted by asymmetric loading and the use of ageing suspensions, both in static and dynamic conditions. This indicates the importance of the distribution of elastic and dissipative properties on the vehicle suspension and their influence on vehicle motion responses in the presence of asymmetrical kinematic excitations and loading configurations.