Design of the Fishbone‐Inspired Basalt Fiber‐Reinforced High‐Durability Bushing by Multiscale Optimization Methodology

ABSTRACT Bushings are widely applied in buildings, bridges, and vehicle chassis to mitigate vibration. Under harsh service conditions, fatigue failure caused by crack initiation and propagation remains a critical challenge limiting their durability. Basalt fiber is widely utilized to reinforce asphalt road, concrete, and friction disc, due to its low cost and high stability. In this paper, the fishbone‐inspired basalt fiber‐reinforced rubber bushing (F‐BFRB) is designed and fabricated to extend the durability of bushings to meet the harsh requirements of heavy load trucks. Besides, the multiscale numerical model is established to optimize the distribution of basalt fiber, which subsequently improves the stress condition of basalt fiber and matrix. Results indicate that the symmetrical 45° fishbone‐inspired arrangement can transfer and mitigate stress effectively, reducing the matrix stress by about 38%, while increasing durability by approximately 6.2 times and torsional stiffness by about 6.3 times compared with the traditional arrangement. Finally, the reinforcement mechanism is discussed based on numerical simulations, while the crack propagation path of the F‐BFRB is significantly extended. This investigation provides a theoretical foundation for developing the F‐BFRB.