PALM OIL FIBER COMPOSITE LEAF SPRING FOR HEAVY VEHICLE

This research work investigates the current design of leaf spring suspension for heavy vehicles and the substitute material that can be used. The study involves investigating a suitable substitute material made of oil palm fiber and designing the suitable leaf spring. The static behavior of the spring is also investigated. The model is made according to the simplified current design of leaf spring used for heavy vehicle. The problem identified in this research is that the material used for current design is too expensive to produce and rusts easily. Also, the weight reduction from using composite material can reduce overall fuel consumption of the vehicle. The purpose of this study is to determine the suitable oil palm fiber composite material that can be used and to determine the static behavior of the material. The model is made using ANSYS Static Structural Analysis solver. The data obtained is the stress and strain inside the spring and also the total deformation of the spring. The simulation result will be validated by comparing the obtained result with past research on fiber composite leaf spring. Also, the result is validated by calculating the theoretical stress and deformation of the spring. In a nutshell, the spring can withstand forces up to 70kN; however the deformation is too big for practical use. At 42kN the deformation is small and is suitable to be used. As a conclusion, oil palm fiber composite material can be used as a substitute material in construction of leaf spring for heavy vehicles.