Modeling, analysis and verification of elastomeric damper for automobile clutches

Increased comfort requirements on vehicles have been revealed that optimum system design and long product life necessities. In this thesis study, the using of elastomer based materials as damping element have been investigated by taking into consideration of design, validation with bench tests, design and system optimization phases. In the studies, the comparison has been performed with the traditional metallic helical springs, and the advantages and disadvantages of the systems with elastomer springs and metallic springs were revealed with analysis and test results. Due to their hyperelastic and viscoelastic properties, the elastomer materials react unlike to metal materials depending on many variables such as strength, time, temperature and material properties. Driving safety, mechanical endurance, and product life are the issues that need to be guaranteed, hence also the approaches on the selection of safety factor for elastomer spring stiffness have been revealed on the clutch system that is subjected to high dynamic and thermal forces. After the material testings have been validated with final product testings and FEA study, complete powertrain system was 1-D modeled, and system behaviors had been investigated comparatively. Following to design and validation phases, the design and system optimizations of elastomer damper spring, at which the hyperelastic and viscoelastic behaviors are characterized, have been performed. Between the optimization algorithms, the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm have been selected and performed by developing the code depending on with geometrical constraints and the coding was provided in Python language. On the powertrain system optimization, SA algorithm was integrated with 1-D modeling and the vibration optimization has been performed on the system. Then, the optimum vibration outputs were obtained. The investigation of elastomer damper springs and the optimization of this springs to the powertrain system are the new study in this spesific area and enable to obtain of basics amongst to adaptation and applying of alternative materials to the new generation vehicles.