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Cold formed carbon steel C sections are often employed as load carrying structural members in heavy commercial trucks. The cold forming operations employed during the making of these members generate certain amount of residual stresses throughout the sections. As the residual stresses play a significant role in determining the structural behavior of truck frame rail members, a careful assessment of residual stresses resulting from cold forming operation is needed. In the present investigation, residual stresses in frame rail corner sections were numerically predicted with the help of non-linear Finite Element (FE) analysis in ABAQUS and compared with the experimentally measured residual stress values using X-ray diffraction technique. It has been observed that the numerically predicted residual stresses are in agreement with the experimentally measured residual stresses in forming direction.

Driver fatigue is one among the important factors for accidents, causing loss of precious life and property. Apart from long driving hours, driver fatigue can be due to poor ride quality, cabin noise, high vibration levels and poor ergonomics. In last few years, there has been enough emphasis to improve the noise and vibration comfort of commercial vehicles, which is governed by vibration levels at tactile points such as steering wheel, gear lever, pedal and seat. Steering wheel vibration is an important element which driver uses to express about the vehicle vibration quality. Design of steering system is driven by ergonomics, packaging, durability, safety, vibration & ride and handling requirements. This paper discusses about methodology of steering assembly development for Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH) performance of commercial vehicle.