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Materials selection analysis for multilayers leaf spring using FEA

  • Hassan S. Hedia

    Prof. Dr. Hassan S. Hedia, born in 1959, is Professor of Materials and Solid Mechanics at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah Saudi Arabia. He received his BSc 1981 in the Mechanical Engineering Dept., Cairo University, Egypt, his MSc 1989 in Production Engineering, at Mansoura University, Egypt, and his PhD in 1996 in the Mechanical Engineering Dept., Leeds University, UK and Mansoura University, Egypt under the channel system. His field of interest is advanced materials, fracture mechanics, stress analysis optimum design, mechanics of materials, and biomechanics.

     EMAIL logo     , Adel Kh. Alfozan

    Dr. Adel Kh. Alfozan is a named Associate Professor of mechanical engineering, college of Engineering at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. Prior to this, he was a chair research at the College of Engineering and a Dean of college of Engineering at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. He obtained his MSc and PhD in mechanical engineering for Ohio University. He also spent a year as a research assistant at the University of California-Berkeley. His research expertise includes CAD/CAM of dies; design, analysis, and computer modeling of metal forming processes; and more recently, microextrusion. He has a BSc in mechanical engineering from King Saud University, Riyadh (1991).

         , Majid A. Almas

    Majid A. Almas, Assistant Professor, Head of the Department of Marine Engineering, (2020 – current) at King Abdulaziz University. He carries out research in the Maritime field and increases awareness in regards to the Maritime sector modeling and materials.

         and Mona A. Soliman

    Dr. Mona A. Soliman born in 1974, is assistant professor of Mechanical design engineering, Delta higher institute for engineering and technology, Talkha, Egypt. She graduated B.Sc., M.Sc., & PhD from the production engineering and mechanical design department of Mansoura University at 1997, 2005, and 2015, respectively. She published many papers in different mechanical engineering fields. Her researches interested in fracture mechanics and finite element analysis such as analysis of composite material leaf spring , analysis of FGM material, and its application in mechanical component ,vibration analysis of car suspension system , fatigue life estimation , crack growth, & arresting methods.

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Published/Copyright: September 5, 2025
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Materials Testing
From the journal Materials Testing Volume 67 Issue 10

Abstract

In modern transportation, designers and manufacturers of automobiles and railways strive to develop lighter, safer, and more reliable vehicles that comply with increasingly strict environmental regulations. Heavy suspension components, such as leaf springs, contribute significantly to the payload weight. Therefore, reducing the weight of these components is crucial for enhancing fuel efficiency and payload capacity. This research investigates the comparative performance of leaf springs fabricated from various materials, including 50R1 steel, Kevlar 49, carbon epoxy, and Al60%Al2O3. Using finite element analysis (FEA) in ANSYS, the investigation evaluates strain energy storage capacity, margin of safety, weight, and stress distribution for each material. The results show that carbon epoxy demonstrates the highest strain energy storage capacity, making it suitable for applications requiring high energy absorption and resilience. Carbon epoxy and Kevlar 49 exhibit moderate margin of safety, indicating good strength and safety factor compared to the other materials. A gradual stress gradient for upper leaf spring is generally preferred to minimize stress concentration and potential failure were exhibits for carbon epoxy, Kevlar 49, and 50Cr1 Steal. Kevlar 49 and carbon epoxy offer the advantage of lower weight, contributing to enhanced fuel efficiency. The study concluded that the optimal material selection for leaf spring design is carbon epoxy and Kevlar 49, as they provide superior strain energy, adequate stress, an improved safety factor and contribute to enhance fuel efficiency.

Keywords: multilayers leaf spring; composite material; FEM; sarin energy; equivalent stress
Corresponding author: Hassan S. Hedia, Marine Engineering Dept., King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudia Arabia, E-mail:

Funding source: This project was supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), (grant number IMSIU-DDRSP2503).

Award Identifier / Grant number: grant number IMSIU-DDRSP2503

About the authors

Hassan S. Hedia

Prof. Dr. Hassan S. Hedia, born in 1959, is Professor of Materials and Solid Mechanics at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah Saudi Arabia. He received his BSc 1981 in the Mechanical Engineering Dept., Cairo University, Egypt, his MSc 1989 in Production Engineering, at Mansoura University, Egypt, and his PhD in 1996 in the Mechanical Engineering Dept., Leeds University, UK and Mansoura University, Egypt under the channel system. His field of interest is advanced materials, fracture mechanics, stress analysis optimum design, mechanics of materials, and biomechanics.

Adel Kh. Alfozan

Dr. Adel Kh. Alfozan is a named Associate Professor of mechanical engineering, college of Engineering at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. Prior to this, he was a chair research at the College of Engineering and a Dean of college of Engineering at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. He obtained his MSc and PhD in mechanical engineering for Ohio University. He also spent a year as a research assistant at the University of California-Berkeley. His research expertise includes CAD/CAM of dies; design, analysis, and computer modeling of metal forming processes; and more recently, microextrusion. He has a BSc in mechanical engineering from King Saud University, Riyadh (1991).

Majid A. Almas

Majid A. Almas, Assistant Professor, Head of the Department of Marine Engineering, (2020 – current) at King Abdulaziz University. He carries out research in the Maritime field and increases awareness in regards to the Maritime sector modeling and materials.

Mona A. Soliman

Dr. Mona A. Soliman born in 1974, is assistant professor of Mechanical design engineering, Delta higher institute for engineering and technology, Talkha, Egypt. She graduated B.Sc., M.Sc., & PhD from the production engineering and mechanical design department of Mansoura University at 1997, 2005, and 2015, respectively. She published many papers in different mechanical engineering fields. Her researches interested in fracture mechanics and finite element analysis such as analysis of composite material leaf spring , analysis of FGM material, and its application in mechanical component ,vibration analysis of car suspension system , fatigue life estimation , crack growth, & arresting methods.

  1. Research ethics: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013).

  2. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study, or their legal guardians or wards.

  3. Author contributions: The authors has accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: The author states no conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: This project was supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), (grant number IMSIU-DDRSP2503).

  7. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Published Online: 2025-09-05
Published in Print: 2025-10-27

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Effects of low-strain amplitude severe plastic deformation on AA6013 at ambient temperature
  3. FEM and ANN modeling of stress concentration factors (Kt) of circular plates with various circular holes according to internal and external pressures
  4. CAD-based approach for early-stage design for optimizing aircraft maintenance reachability
  5. Hardness and corrosion properties of AA7075 aluminum alloy coated with WC-Co by HVOF
  6. LME susceptibility of a medium-Mn advanced high-strength steel with galvanizing coating
  7. Surface inspection to detect early fatigue crack initiation in the low cycle fatigue regime of high carbon steel using a scattered light sensor
  8. Materials optimization of a connecting rod using FGM
  9. Materials selection analysis for multilayers leaf spring using FEA
  10. Production of sustainable biocomposite materials developed using different agricultural waste powders as reinforcement
  11. Influence of austenitization time on the grain size and mechanical properties of a 5Cr–0.5Mo steel
  12. Investigation of curing kinetics of a carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg used in aviation applications
  13. Enhanced crash performance of multi-cell crash box for electric vehicle battery pack design
  14. Comparative study of laser remelting of plasma sprayed coatings on AISI1040 steel with different TiO2–Al2O3 and TiO2–SiO2–Cr2O3constituents
  15. Optimal design of automobile seat components using chaotic enzyme action optimization algorithm
  16. Tribological performance of chitosan-filled aloe vera fiber–reinforced polyester composites for automotive brake pad applications
https://doi.org/10.1515/mt-2025-0102
Keywords for this article
multilayers leaf spring; composite material; FEM; sarin energy; equivalent stress

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Effects of low-strain amplitude severe plastic deformation on AA6013 at ambient temperature
  3. FEM and ANN modeling of stress concentration factors (Kt) of circular plates with various circular holes according to internal and external pressures
  4. CAD-based approach for early-stage design for optimizing aircraft maintenance reachability
  5. Hardness and corrosion properties of AA7075 aluminum alloy coated with WC-Co by HVOF
  6. LME susceptibility of a medium-Mn advanced high-strength steel with galvanizing coating
  7. Surface inspection to detect early fatigue crack initiation in the low cycle fatigue regime of high carbon steel using a scattered light sensor
  8. Materials optimization of a connecting rod using FGM
  9. Materials selection analysis for multilayers leaf spring using FEA
  10. Production of sustainable biocomposite materials developed using different agricultural waste powders as reinforcement
  11. Influence of austenitization time on the grain size and mechanical properties of a 5Cr–0.5Mo steel
  12. Investigation of curing kinetics of a carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg used in aviation applications
  13. Enhanced crash performance of multi-cell crash box for electric vehicle battery pack design
  14. Comparative study of laser remelting of plasma sprayed coatings on AISI1040 steel with different TiO2–Al2O3 and TiO2–SiO2–Cr2O3constituents
  15. Optimal design of automobile seat components using chaotic enzyme action optimization algorithm
  16. Tribological performance of chitosan-filled aloe vera fiber–reinforced polyester composites for automotive brake pad applications
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