Analysis of the Effect of Auxiliary Leaf Springs on the Operation of HOWO 9-Ton Trucks

The suspension system is crucial for durability testing, vibration analysis, and evaluating the smoothness and stability of vehicles. Leaf springs are commonly used in suspension systems of heavy-duty trucks. This study analyzed the durability using finite element analysis (FEA) and modeled a dual-leaf spring system on the HOWO truck, a popular vehicle in Vietnam. The research team compared the stress, displacement, and vibration of dual leaf springs made from two materials: steel and E-glass. Durability testing was conducted using HyperWorks software, and the team successfully built a vibration simulation model of the leaf spring suspension system using Matlab-Simulink software. The results showed that the stress in the E-glass material was lower, but its displacement was larger compared to steel, indicating that E-glass provides better smoothness than steel. The auxiliary springs only engage when the load on the main springs exceeds their capacity. Leaf springs made of E-glass showed slower damping of vibrations than steel but provided better smoothness.