Analytical calculation and experimental verification of lateral stiffness of a flexi-coil spring with tilting rubber-metal pad

Abstract

This paper deals with possibility of modification of lateral stiffness of flexi-coil springs by means of rubber-metal tilting pads. On basis of the Gross’ calculation of lateral stiffness of a flexicoul spring, a modified calculation of lateral stiffness of a flexi-coil spring equipped with a tilting pad is derived. Besides to the analytical calculation of the lateral stiffness of the assembly spring–pad for constant value of angular stiffness of the pad, a numerical method of the calculation, which allows considering of non-linear characterictics of the pad, is proposed. In the next part of the paper, the calculated lateral stiffness of the spring with pad is compared with results of measurement performed for several loading states on a test stand in heavy laboratories of the Jan Perner Transport Faculty. The experimental verification shows that the proposed calculation describes the trends in lateral stiffness behaviour very good; however, it seems to be necessary to perform some further improvements because the absolute values of the measured and calculated stiffnesses show certain deviations.