Finite Element and Fatigue Life Evaluation of Heavy Vehicle Composite Leaf Springs Using Advanced Composite Materials

This study focuses on the finite element and fatigue life evaluation of heavy vehicle leaf springs using advanced composite materials. Conventional steel leaf springs provide good load-carrying capacity but increase vehicle weight and are prone to fatigue failure under cyclic loading. In this work, steel, GFRP, CFRP, Kevlar composite, and hybrid composite materials were compared for structural and fatigue performance. A 3D leaf spring model was developed and analyzed under identical loading and boundary conditions. Total deformation, equivalent stress, equivalent strain, safety factor, fatigue life, and damage factor were evaluated. The results showed that composite materials provide significant weight reduction and improved fatigue resistance compared with steel. CFRP showed the highest fatigue life and safety factor, while hybrid composite offered balanced performance for practical applications. The study concludes that advanced composite leaf springs can improve durability, fuel efficiency, and suspension reliability in heavy vehicles.