Cargo delivery by trucks is a main method of transportation of goods to the cities and other places. Many goods are transported by articulated lorries. Thus, improving the design methods of the articulated lorries is relevant. Trailer suspension is the object under study. A fatigue life prediction of the trailer suspension components is a urgent task at the early stage of design concept development. The formation principles of the MBD model is essential in obtaining best results. In this paper two types of models are considered: containing only the rigid bodies; containing the flexible bodies. Research objective: the investigation of the effect of the load distribution that was obtained using different MBD models on the durability of suspension parts. A comparison of the results obtained using the different suspension models was performed. The research has shown that loads are reducedusing the flexible bodies in the MBD model. Using flexible bodies permits to specify the results of the durability analysis.

The paper describes a quad bike multi-body model intended to extract maximum dynamic forces acting on the vehicle frame. This complex full-vehicle model includes all essential systems such assuspension, steering, frame, power train, brakes, payload, as well as tire-road interaction model. A number of the quad bike operation events has been simulated. Time histories of the forces acting on the vehicle frame and tire contact patch have been analyzed and load cases with maximum forces have been extracted for subsequent finite-element analysis of the frame. In case the sufficient number of the events is simulated, the load cases can be used in the design optimization process, such as topology optimization, at early stages of the frame development.

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The paper describes a quad bike frame design procedure with the use of topology optimization technique. The design space specific properties, quad bike specific load cases and problem formulation for topology optimization are presented. Topology optimization results – beneficial load paths of the frame structure – have been interpreted into a new frame design providing sufficient space for placement of all systems of the vehicle. The new frame strength has been proved using finite element method. Comparing with the previous steel frame design, the new frame of the quad bike has become 2 times as stiff and 17% lighter while having low stress levels due to the substitution of aluminum material for steel and a new optimized topology of the frame load-bearing structure.

The paper presents a technique for strain-stress calculation using finite element analysis for wheeled vehicle’s load bearing frames with the use of loads, obtained from full vehicle multi body dynamics models (MBD models). In this technique, boundary conditions need not to be defined, as the inertia relief method used. Frame and suspension parts are imposed in MBD model as flexible bodies to increase accuracy of loads calculations. The presented method is capable to automatize loading procedure of finite-element models, thus decreasing computational costs and results processing costs while analyzing numerous load cases. As an example, strength analysis of 6x6 articulated vehicle frame is presented. Proposed method compared to “classic” finite-element frame modelling technique, which use conventional loads formulation and fixed boundary conditions. In load case “standing on ground”, calculation results with the use of two methods demonstrate high convergence in zones, located far from suspension and frame mounting joints. For load case “hanging of second axis” results are significantly different, due to ability of MBD-model to capture behavior of suspension links, and calculate true vehicle frame movement in space in particular load case. Loading procedure of frame finite element model is automated, using script, which transfer loads from MDB-model.