Estimation of Vibration-Induced Fatigue Damage in a Tracked Vehicle Suspension Arm at Critical Locations Under Real-Time Random Excitations †

Probabilistic random vibration can speed up wear and tear on several components of the tracked vehicle, including the track system, drivetrain, and suspension. Extended exposure to high levels of vibration can cause structural damage to the vehicle frame and other critical components. Assessing random vibration in track vehicles requires a comprehensive approach that considers both the root causes and potential consequences of the vibrations. This random vibration significantly influences the structural performance of suspension arm which is key component of tracked vehicle. Damage due to fatigue is conventionally computed using time domain loaded signals with stress or strain data. This approach generally holds good when loading is periodic in nature but not be a good choice when dynamic resonance is in process. In this case an alternative frequency domain fatigue life analysis is used where the random loads and responses are characterized using a concept called Power spectral density (PSD). The current research article investigates the fatigue damage characteristics of a tracked vehicle suspension arm considering the dynamic loads induced by traversing on smooth and rough terrain. The analysis focusses on assessing the damage and stress response Power spectral density (PSD) ground-based excitation which is termed PSD-G acceleration. Quasi Static Finite Element Method based approach is used to simulate the operational conditions experienced by the suspension arm. Through comprehensive numerical simulations, the fatigue damage accumulation patterns are examined, providing insights into the structure integrity and performance durability of the suspension arm under varying operational scenarios. The obtained stress response PSD data and fatigue damage showed that the rough terrain response exhibits higher stresses in suspension arm. The accumulated stresses in case of rough terrain may prompt to brittle failure at specific critical locations. This research contributes to the advancement to the design and optimization strategies for tracked vehicle components enhancing their reliability and longevity in demanding operational environments.