Finite element analysis on failure-yielding stresses in the wheel bolt of automobile vehicle due to operational loading conditions

In automotive industry, wheel bolts were observed as a common source of failure in service and are unwanted as they get burdensome when subjected to failure. The main objective of this research was to investigate the effect of preload, static, and dynamic operational loading conditions on the mechanical behavior of the wheel bolt of a vehicle to identify the main causes of wheel bolt failure and prevent it from damage. To perform analysis, first the 3D-modeling was developed for the joint by using CATIA-V5, and the finite element analysis was carried out using ANSYS R18.0 software: to determine the stress distribution and its concentration areas on the surfaces of the wheel bolt. In each loading condition, the equivalent and maximum shear stresses were effectively examined. But, for dynamic loading, the comparative effect of axle load and vehicle speed was well-thought-out. The results reveal that the amount of von mises stress varies in the range of 870.7–1667.3 MPa and the shear stress results in a range of 475.5–918.33 MPa, as the axle load increased. When comparing the effect of axle load and vehicle speed, the radial load variation had a greater effect on the advancement of stresses in the wheel bolt. Unlike that, the effect of speed variation was observed to be relatively weak. Therefore, the strong overloading effect investigated during numerical analysis was assessed as the likely probable root cause of failure, and the bolt thread parts were detected as a critical stress concentration area on which the bolt material experiences failure.