During mining material hauling, the chassis frame structure of rear dump trucks
is subjected to fatigue loading due to uneven road conditions. This loading
often leads to crack propagation in the frame rails, necessitating the
determination of stresses in the critical zone during the design stage to ensure
structural integrity. In this study, a computer-aided engineering (CAE)
methodology is employed to size and select the rectangular profile cross section
of the chassis frame rail. A detailed design investigation of the chassis frame
is conducted to assess its load resistance, structural flexibility, and weld
joint fatigue life under critical stresses arising from combined bending and
torsion loads. The optimization process aims to determine the optimal rail size
and material thickness, striking a balance between minimizing mass and
maximizing structural reliability. By achieving this, the risk of major
structural failures during the transportation of large payloads can be
significantly reduced. To address the demand for extended structural life and
reduced chassis frame weight, the frame rail cross section is optimized using a
multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) implemented within the ANSYS software
package. This optimization process is facilitated by utilizing design
exploration studies and finite element analysis (FEA) techniques to understand
how stress affects the chassis frame of a vehicle when it is subjected to
combined bending and torsion load case. To do this, the research study used a
combination of analytical calculations, mathematical modeling, and design
exploration studies.
The research findings highlight the effectiveness of combining empirical
approaches with modern CAE tools, enabling engineers to design and analyze
complex structures with optimized sizes and weights suitable for off-highway
mining applications.
Through the utilization of this integrated approach, significant advancements can
be made in enhancing the structural performance and efficiency of chassis frame
structures in the demanding off-highway mining industry.
