Independent suspension design for the driven front axle of a high mobility multipurpose wheeled military vehicle

In this thesis, multibody dynamics model of the suspension system for multipurpose military vehicle was composed. Firstly, the change intervals of the front axle parameters were observed. In order to perform performance review of the suspension system, study of full vehicle multibody dynamics modeling was achieved. Analyses were made to see the performance of the suspension on the virtual vehicle prototype equipped with the suspension system formed before. The kinematic hardpoints, spring and damping rates of the suspension system were determined as a result of comfort and ride reviews. In order to generate force input to the mechanical design of the system, the commonly used wheel forces were applied to the half vehicle model and the forces at the joints were obtained. In the second chapter mechanical design of the lower control arm, upper control arm, knuckle and helical spring were carried out on the hardpoints that calculated by multibody dynamics analyses. By using the determined forces acquired with the help of multibody dynamics models, the structural strength review were done by the finite element analysis. Topology optimization method was used to determine the optimum design of the system components. Required additional system and mechanical design recommendation were given for improving the suspension system and thus ride dynamics of the vehicle. The mechanical design recommendation was analysed by using full vehicle multibody dynamics model and the results were compared.