The paper presents a study of the influence of vehicle’s suspension nonlinearities  and conditions of use, such as road class, vehicle speed and vehicle load, on fatigue assessment of its structure and suspension components. Load spectrums for the fatigue analysis were created using suspension responses generated in a simulation of vehicle and suspension vertical dynamics nonlinear model for different conditions of vehicle use. The next stage presented was the use of finite element method and analysis of obtained stresses with its transformation to a set of cycles that are used in the determination of fatigue characteristics. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the stresses field in the vehicle structure and suspension elements was done and later the influence of suspension responses on the fatigue assessment  for most loaded parts of suspension and vehicle structure. Lastly conclusions were drawn from the results describing qualitative and quantitative influence of different road class and load condition on fatigue assessment of vehicle structure and suspension components. Conclusion on the proposed and used methodology also was drawn.

Keywords: car suspension, road excitation, dynamics simulation, vehicle models, fatigue strength

fatigue strength