Comparison of Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Mono-Composite and Metal Leaf Spring

The automotive industry is increasingly focused on reducing vehicle weight, leading to the widespread adoption of composite materials with high strength-to-weight ratios in both aviation and automotive sectors. These materials are gradually replacing traditional options like steel. Leaf springs, one of the oldest and most common suspension components, continue to be widely used in vehicles. This study aims to replace conventional multi-leaf steel springs with mono-composite leaf springs while preserving the same load-carrying capacity and stiffness. Composite materials, such as glass fiber and epoxy resin, provide advantages including higher elastic strain energy storage, superior strength-to-weight ratios, and enhanced corrosion resistance compared to steel. Consequently, the weight of leaf springs can be reduced without sacrificing performance. The steel and mono-composite leaf springs were modeled using Catia software, and their performance was evaluated using ANSYS 15.0 software.