Development of a Theoretical Design Approach for Composite Leaf Springs Used in Automotive and Engineering Applications

Abstract

Composite materials are being investigated as a kind of replacement for steel leaf springs, especially in automotive and engineering uses, because the goal is lightweight, hardy and high-performance suspension parts. Traditional steel leaf springs are still pretty commonly utilised, but their heavier mass, corrosion susceptibility, and the comparatively low fatigue endurance can end up hurting vehicle efficiency, as well as reliability in day-to-day operating conditions. Therefore, innovative composite leaf spring designs are promise for boosting structural performance while reducing system weight. This paper develops a theoretical design method for automotive and engineering composite leaf springs. The main goals are to find acceptable composite materials, create an analytical design framework, analyse crucial performance factors, and find optimised design configurations that meet engineering criteria. The research uses a theoretical and analytical approach based on literature reviews, material characterisation investigations, composite laminate theory, and beam bending principles. The design parameters material characteristics, spring geometry, fibre orientation, laminate thickness, stiffness, load-carrying capacity, and fatigue behaviour were analysed. Composite alternatives including GFRP, CFRP, and hybrid composite structures were compared to conventional steel leaf springs. Composite leaf springs can cut weight by roughly 70% relative to steel springs, while still keeping strength and rigidity, mostly. In the tests, CFRP showed the top specific strength, fatigue resilience, and a smoother stress distribution. Hybrid composites then kind of sat in the middle and worked well because they managed to balance mechanical performance with cost. Also, by tweaking fibre orientations and mixing laminate layups, the structure gained better long-term durability and improved load-carrying capability. Overall, the study suggests the theoretical design framework for lightweight, robust, high-performance composite leaf springs is pretty systematic and dependable, not just theoretical words. Those results can support future numerical computations for composite suspension systems, plus experimental validation and eventually industrial application.