• ISSN: 2349-6002
  • UGC Approved Journal No 47859

DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF A FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVE SUSPENSION SPRING AND REDESIGN OF THE SPRING FOR DURABILITY AND RIDE INDEX

  • Unique Paper ID: 144203
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 8
  • PageNo: 92-99
  • Abstract:
  • A good bogie design of freight locomotive ensures ride comfort and lateral stability during high speed cornering. The ride comfort and lateral stability which includes hunting and derailment are sensitive to dynamic load distribution. An improper load distribution and arrangement of primary suspension components may lead to failure of suspension springs and shock absorbers. In the present investigation, it was found that the existing primary suspensions with composite spring assembly could sustain loads in normal operating conditions and maintain the required ride index, however, during cornering and hunting speeds failure of outer spring of primary suspension was observed. In the present work, an attempt has been made to analyze in detail the reason for failure and a single non linear spring has been suggested to improve durability of the primary suspension and in the meantime the required ride index. Failure of the composite spring assembly was analyzed by applying the forces obtained from dynamic analysis. The dynamic analysis was performed using ADAMS/Rail at four different velocities and three different track conditions. The critical loading condition was achieved at a hunting speed of 132km/h on a curved track. A single spring set was considered in ADAMS/View to perform stress analysis to know durability. Numerical simulation showed that the stress level in the composite set which has both outer and inner spring was above allowable limit of 412 MPa where as a newly designed single non linear spring replacing the composite spring was found to have stress level of 160 MPa.The stress value obtained from numerical simulations in ADAMS was verified with analytical design calculations for the spring and the ride index was found to 1.78 which was 8% better than the earlier spring. It is concluded that the new spring design can enhance durability and ride index.
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UGC Approved
Journal no 47859

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