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E-spring is a recent innovation in vehicle suspension springs. Its behavior and characteristics are investigated experimentally and verified numerically. The mechanical and frequency-response-based properties of E-springs are investigated experimentally at both of the structural and constitutional levels. Thermoplastic-based and thermoset-based fibrous composite structures of the E-springs are modified at micro-scale with various additives and consequently they are compared. The experimental results reveal that additives of micrometer-sized particles of mineral clay to an ISO-phthalic polyester resin of the composite E-spring can demonstrate distinguished characteristics. A hybrid approach of the inter-laminar shear stress and Tsai-Wu criteria is implemented in order to identify failure indices numerically at the utmost level of loading and verify the experimental results.

A hybrid search optimization is presented in order to optimize hybrid laminated fibrous composite E-springs for vehicle suspension systems. This optimization is conducted with both of the geometrical configuration and laminate structure of the E-spring. A genetic algorithm along with a hill-climbing random-walk approach are used through a developed NURBS-based technique in order to conduct this optimization. A mathematical-modeling-based mid-ware technology is introduced in order to fully automate the optimization process through linking the run engines of mathematical modeling and finite element analysis from within the mathematical modeling engine. A hybrid approach of the inter-laminar shear stress and Tsai-Wu criteria is first implemented in order to identify failure indices of the resulting optimum shape and laminate structure.

The present paper presents design considerations for a new tandem suspension system equipped with hydro-pneumatic components. The theory of the new suspension and its configuration were presented in a previously published SAE paper, [1]. In this design, most of the vertical motions were transformed into horizontal motions through two bell cranks. A hydraulic actuator is installed horizontally between the bell cranks and connected to an accumulator (gas spring) via a flow constriction (damper). Incorporating of hydro-pneumatic components in the new suspension system exhibits simple and applicable design. Moreover, further developments including active or semi-active vibration control systems, can be applied directly using the existing hydro-pneumatic components. Mathematical models are constructed to simulate the vehicle ride dynamics. Equations of motion are generated considering a conventional passive suspension (four springs tandem suspension) and the new designed suspension system.

It is well known that the excessive levels of vibration in heavy vehicles negatively affect driver comfortability, cargo safety and road condition. The current challenge in the field of suspension design for heavy vehicles is to optimize the suspension dynamic parameters to improve such requirements. Almost all of the previous work in this field is based on applying the mathematical optimization considering active or passive suspension systems to obtain the optimal dynamic parameters. In this work a new passive suspension systems for heavy trucks is suggested and compared with the conventional passive suspension systems. The new systems rely on transferring the vertical motion, (vibration), into horizontal motion through a bell-crank mechanism to be taken by a horizontal passive suspension system. The system dynamic parameters like body acceleration, suspension travel and dynamic tire load are calculated assuming random excitation due to road irregularities.