International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences

www.ijetmas.comApril 2017, Volume 5, Issue 4, ISSN 2349-4476

Design and Analysis of Heavy Duty Vehicle (Trailer) Chassis

through FEM Software

Divyanshu Sharma1, Y D Vora2

1
M.E.Student, 2Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
L D College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

ABSTRACT
Heavy duty vehicle plays a more important role in highway transportation. The major focus in the truck manufacturing
industries is design of truck chassis with more pay load capacity and possible less weight. An important aspect of
chassis’ design and analysis is the stress distribution and fatigue life of prediction process. Fatigue is one of the most
important parameters to consider when designing truck components. The components are typically subjected to dynamic
loads when in service. In this paper, an effort is made to alter the existing design of chassis by introducing hollow
rectangular and T – section. An analytical and numerical methodapproach is being adopted to calculate the weight
reduction and stress at different points and also stress analysis has been done in ANSYS software to validate the result.
Keywords: chassis design and analysis, Heavy Duty Vehicle (Trailer) Chassis, FEM Software

I. Introduction
Chassis is a Basic Structure of the vehicle. Chassis supports the components Power plant, Transmission
System consisting of clutch gearbox, propeller shaft and rear axle, Wheels and Tyres, Suspension, Controlling
Systems like Braking, Steering etc and electrical system parts are alsomounted on the Chassis frame.
Automotive Chassis helps to keep an automobile rigid, stiff and unbending. Automobile chassis ensures less
noise, vibrations and harshness throughout the automobile. The chassis frame consists of side members
attached with a series of cross members. Along with the strength, an important consideration in the chassis
design is to increase the stiffness (bending and torsion) characteristics. Adequate torsional stiffness is required
to have good handling characteristics. Normally the chassis are designed on the basis of strength and stiffness.
In the conventional design procedure the design is based on the strength and emphasis is then given to
increase the stiffness of the chassis, with very little consideration to the weight of the chassis. One such design
procedure involves the adding of structural cross member to the existing chassis to increase its torsional
stiffness. As a result weight of the chassis increases. This increase in weight reduces the fuel efficiency and
increases the cost due to extra material. The design of the Chassis with adequate stiffness and strength is
necessary.
The different types of automobile chassis are as follows:
Conventional control chassis: In which engine is mounted in front of the driver`s cabin. This type of
arrangement avoids full utilization of the space.
Semi-forward control chassis:-In which engine is mounted that half of it is in the driver`s cabin whereas the
other half is in front, outside the driver`s cabin.
Full-forward control chassis:-In which engine is mounted completely insides the driver`s cabin. Obviously
maximum utilization of space is achieved in this type of arrangement. The Different Types Of Automobile
Chassis Frame Are As Follows:
Conventional Frame:- It is non-load carrying frame. The loads of the vehicle are transferred to the
suspensions by the frame. This suspension in the main skeleton of the vehicle, which is supported on the axles
through springs. The body is made of flexible material like wood and isolated frame by inserting rubber
mountings in between. The frame is made of channel section or tubular section of box section.

574 Divyanshu Sharma, Y D Vora

 International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences

www.ijetmas.comApril 2017, Volume 5, Issue 4, ISSN 2349-4476

Ladder Chassis:-Ladder chassis is one of the oldest forms of automotive chassis these are still used in most
of the SUVs today. It is clear from its name that ladder chassis resembles a shape of a ladder having two
longitudinal rails inter linked by lateral and cross braces.

Figure 1 chassis
Types of ladder frame: Ladder frame are classified as follows.
1. C cross section type of ladder chassis frame
2. I cross-section type of ladder chassis frame.
3. Rectangular Box (Hollow) cross section type of ladder chassis frame.
4. Rectangular Box (Intermediate) cross section type of ladder chassis frame.

II. Literature Review

AshifIqubal, S. M. Oak et al. [4] (2013) has reviewed a design and analysis study that reduces chassis mass
with also minimizing the cost impact. Considering the same material ST 52-3U for design of chassis and
altering certain dimensions in cross sections used in chassis deign considerable amount of weight reduction
have been achieved. Typical analytical method is being used for analyzing the results.
N.Lenin Rakesh K.Gowtham Kumar et al. [5] (2014) has modelled chassis in CATIA software using actual
dimensions. Material used here is Glass Fibber Reinforced Plastic. Steel Bedford’s fiber glass reinforced
plastic is highly corrosion resistant The main process involves with the both design and analysis of the model.
At first all the possible design calculations are performed as per its physical specs, which later is used to
convert the same into a 3D model so that it is easily perceptible. Once when done with the design process,
structural analysis in which parameters like stress, strain and total deformation are applied ,calculations are
performed and all the properties are compared and represented graphically

III. MethodologyEmployed
Here, while redesigning the heavy duty trailer chassis keeping in mind weight reduction as main consideration
with ease of manufacturing as per ISO, mainly the rigidity, strength, safety and economy are considered as
main parameters for designing. According to Safety point of view, the design should be such that it should
pass all safety norms as per give ISO standards so that it can move on safely on road without causing any
damage. The high-end computer software’s and CAD/CAE tools are used. The work is carried out step by step
as below:-
1. Analysing of existing design of chassis
2. Improving/redesigning chassis as per ISO standard using different steel sections
3. Modeling and Analysis of the new improved chassis design through FEMsoftware.

575 Divyanshu Sharma, Y D Vora

 International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences

www.ijetmas.comApril 2017, Volume 5, Issue 4, ISSN 2349-4476

Chassis specification: The specifications are as below

Chassis:Sprung 9200×1125 mm size, st 42
a) Longbearers : Composite I-section of 450/250×140mm Cross section fabricated from 20mm thick plates
b) Crossed bearers: 8 no. of hollow standard rectangular section and 2 T – section ISST 250 as per ISO
Body Size : Open box body - (9200 mm ×2600 mm ×1250 mm )
Length width height of box

Basic chassis design calculation

1. MAIN CHASSIS LONG AND CROSS BEARERS :
(a) Weight of long bearers :It is built up of composite I beam of 450/250×140 mm size from 20 mm thick
plates as shown fig
Specific weight 450×140×20 mm I beam
= [(0.45×0.14) - ( 0.14×0.120)] ×7860 = 108.47 kg/m
Specific Weight of 250×140×20 mm I- beam
= [(0.25×0.14) - ( 0.21×0.120)] ×7860 = 77.03 kg/m
Weight of two composite sections 9200 mm long bearers :
= 2 ×[(1.45×77.03) + ( 7.50×108.47) + 0.25 ( 77.03 +108.47) / 2]
= 1896.74 kg/m

Weight of cross bearers:

Specific Weight of standard hollow rectangular beam as per given standards for ISMC 200×150 is 22.1 kg/m
and Specific Weight of standard T- section beam as per given standards for ISST 250 180×250 is 37.5 kg/m.
Weight of cross bearers:= [ no. Of section used × length of section × specific weight ]= [8×2.6×22.1] +
[2×2.6×37.5]= 654.68 kg
Weight of main chassis :
= total weight of two main long bearers + cross bearers
= 1896.74 + 654.68 = 2551.42 kg or 2552 kg

2. WEIGHT OF CHASSIS FRAME :

(a) Long bearers (sidebearers )
Size ISMC 250 sp. wt= 37.3 kg/m , Length = 9200 mm
Weight = [no. of section used × length of section × specific weight]
= 2×9.2×37.3 = 686.32 kg

576 Divyanshu Sharma, Y D Vora

 International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences

www.ijetmas.comApril 2017, Volume 5, Issue 4, ISSN 2349-4476

(b) Riggers C-section: Size 250/ 50/150 mm in length 745 mm fabricated from5 mm plate.
Specific Weight = [(0.25 + 0.05) / 2 + 2× (0.15)] ×0.005×1860 = 17.685 kg/m
Weight = ( 16×0.745×17.685 ) = 210.805 kg
Weight of chassis frame : 686.32+210.805 = 897.152 kg or 898 kg

Comparison for weight and induced bending stresss in chassis based on sections ( cross bearer )
Pre existing section New proposed sections

Cases I SECTION HOLLOW RECTANGUALR AND T

SECTUON
weight 9300 kg 8760 kg

4.72 mm 2.72 mm

IV. Finite Element Analysis

There are three main steps, namely: pre-processing, solution and post processing. In pre-processing (model
definition) includes: define the geometric domain of the problem, the element type(s) to be used, the material
properties of the elements, the geometric properties of the elements (length, area, and the like), the element
connectivity (mesh the model), the physical constraints (boundary conditions) and the loadings. In solution
includes: the governing algebraic equations in matrix form and computes the unknown values of the primary
field variable(s) are assembled. The computed results are then used by back substitution to determine
additional, derived variables, such as reaction forces, element stresses and heat flow. Actually, the features in
this step such as matrix manipulation, numerical integration and equation solving are carried out automatically
by commercial software.

577 Divyanshu Sharma, Y D Vora

 International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences

www.ijetmas.comApril 2017, Volume 5, Issue 4, ISSN 2349-4476

In post processing, the analysis and evaluation of the result is conducted in this step. Examples of operations
that can be accomplished include sort element stresses in order of magnitude, check equilibrium, calculate
factors of safety, plot deformed structural shape, animate dynamic model behavior and produce color-coded
temperature plots. The large software has a pre-processor and postprocessor to accompany the analysis portion
and the both processor can communicate with the other large programs. Specific procedures of pre and post
are different dependent upon the program.
The new model of chassis as per the dimension is as shown in Figure2.The model is then saved in IGES
format which can be directly imported into ANSYS workbench. Figure 2 shows the imported model in
ANSYS workbench. The model is being meshed up also.
The meshing is done on the model with 274192 No. of nodes and 75694 No. of Tetrahedral elements. Figures
sh2ow meshing of model

Figure 2 Meshing
Loading Condition of Chassis Frame
The trailer chassis model is loaded by static forces from the truck body and load. For this model, the
maximum loaded weight of loading container and body is 33660 kg. The load is assumed as a uniform
distributed obtained from the maximum loaded weight divided by the total length of chassis frame. Detail
loading of model is shown in Figure 3 and 4.

Figure 3 Load distribution

578 Divyanshu Sharma, Y D Vora

 International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences

www.ijetmas.comApril 2017, Volume 5, Issue 4, ISSN 2349-4476

Figure 4 Load variation

Maximum deformation 2.78 mm

Figure 5 Maximum deformation

Figure 6 Stress distribution

V Results:
Chassissection ismodified by selecting hollow rectangular and T -section andanalysed for rigidity and
weight compared and then with earlier design. The results are tabulated as below:
Weigh of Bending stiffness Saving in weight Improvement in
chassis(in kg) of chassis(in chassis stiffness
KN/ mm)
Existing design 9300 4.1 _ _

Modified/proposed 8760 5.4 75%

design 560 kg

579 Divyanshu Sharma, Y D Vora

 International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences

www.ijetmas.comApril 2017, Volume 5, Issue 4, ISSN 2349-4476

VI. Conclusion
In the present work, heavy duty chassis frame was redesigned and analytically analysed along with an
ANSYS analysis using ANSYS software, based on the analytic calculation and analysis following
conclusion can be done.
1) The weight reduced to new proposed sections is about 560 kg.
2) Although the weight has been reduced to much extent but stiffness and rigidity remains the unchanged.
3) According to analysis it has been seen that a very little deformation oocur on the back side of the chassis
which approximately negligible.

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[2]Vijaykumar V. Patel, R. I. Patel, ―Structural analysis of a ladder chassis frame‖,World Journal of Science and
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