Simulation of dynamic cornering fatigue test of a steel passenger car wheel

Abstract This paper aims at seeking a practical and comprehensive method for simulating the dynamic cornering fatigue test of the automotive wheels. The test of a steel passenger car wheel is simulated by combined use of the linear transient dynamic finite element analysis and the local strain approach. A rotating force of constant magnitude is applied to the moment arm tip to simulate the rotating bending effect on the wheel, with the wheel stationary. It is found that only a radial component of the rotating force is needed to obtain the sufficiently accurate radial normal strain histories of the elements located along the radial direction. The strain history of the element whose local stress–strain characteristic keeps linear and closest to the critical element is applied to predict the fatigue life of the critical element with Neuber’s rule and local strain approach, which is quite close to the test results.