Procedure for optimal lightweight design and durability testing of wheels

Abstract

This paper describes a method for optimal wheel design. It is based on the concept that the sizing of a wheel has to take into account the service stresses as well as allowable stresses in different wheel areas. A short overview of the procedure to determine the service stresses simulating service loads in the laboratory and the way to determine the allowable stresses by fatigue testing of different wheel area is presented. The problems of durability resting of the wheels is discussed and a new Biaxial Wheel Durability Test Machine, which provides improved simulation of service loads and makes it possible to test the whole wheel in a single procedure, is described.