Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle

Nan Nan; Jijun Feng

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13

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Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle

Nan Nan, Jijun Feng

Published in International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 11, Issue 2)

Received: 29 March 2022 Accepted: 20 April 2022 Published: 28 April 2022

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Abstract

Accidents caused by fractured torsion bars in off-road vehicles (ORVs) have occurred during road tests. Through visual inspection of the fracture in the failed samples, the preliminary conclusion is that the typical torsional fracture occurs according to its ratchet shape and 45-degree cracking direction to the bar axis. The crack initiated at the side surface of the fillet on the spline end. All failed parts during road tests have identical fracture modes and crack initiation sites, which implies that they have identical failure reasons. Techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metallographic observation, hardness test and spectral component analysis have been performed to obtain detailed information to diagnose the cause of failure. The result reveals that the fracture was caused by fatigue cracking initiated from the spline fillet. In addition, SEM images of the intergranular feature of the fracture initiation zone demonstrate that the untimely formation of a fatigue core and very quick expansion of the crack directly result from over-brittleness. This behavior can be ascribed to insufficient tempering after the quenching process, which was confirmed by a tempering simulation experiment: after the tempering experiment, the artificial struck fracture of the sample became a 100% dimple fracture, and the hardness distribution became more uniform and reasonable. Thus, the brittleness was eliminated, and the strength was ensured after an expanding tempering time. This investigation can provide reference value for solving and preventing such types of failures.

Published in	International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 11, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13
Page(s)	55-61
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Torsion Bar, Spline, Fatigue, Over-brittleness, Tempering

References

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[3]	S. A. Rodríguez, F. A. Quiceno, J. J. Coronado, Investigation of the failure of an automobile torsion bar. Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention, 2009, 10 (1): pp. 11-17.
[4]	V. Mocilnik, N. Gubeljak, J. Predan, Influence of presetting on fatigue lifetime of torsion bars. Procedia Engineering, 2011, 10: pp. 213-218.
[5]	Zhiwei Yu, Xiaolei Xu, Zhi Yang, Yuanyuan Li, Case internal oxidation and intergranular fracture of carburized splined-shaft. Engineering Failure Analysis, 2012, 22: pp. 141-151.
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[9]	Taylor, D., CHAPTER 9 - Fatigue: Predicting Fatigue Limit and Fatigue Life, in the Theory of Critical Distances, 2007, Elsevier Science Ltd: Oxford. pp. 163-196.
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[11]	T. Sekercioglu, Failure analysis of torsion bar of projectile weaving machine. Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention, 2010, 10 (5): pp. 363-366.
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APA Style

Nan Nan, Jijun Feng. (2022). Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 11(2), 55-61. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13

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ACS Style

Nan Nan; Jijun Feng. Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2022, 11(2), 55-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13

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AMA Style

Nan Nan, Jijun Feng. Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2022;11(2):55-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13,
  author = {Nan Nan and Jijun Feng},
  title = {Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {11},
  number = {2},
  pages = {55-61},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20221102.13},
  abstract = {Accidents caused by fractured torsion bars in off-road vehicles (ORVs) have occurred during road tests. Through visual inspection of the fracture in the failed samples, the preliminary conclusion is that the typical torsional fracture occurs according to its ratchet shape and 45-degree cracking direction to the bar axis. The crack initiated at the side surface of the fillet on the spline end. All failed parts during road tests have identical fracture modes and crack initiation sites, which implies that they have identical failure reasons. Techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metallographic observation, hardness test and spectral component analysis have been performed to obtain detailed information to diagnose the cause of failure. The result reveals that the fracture was caused by fatigue cracking initiated from the spline fillet. In addition, SEM images of the intergranular feature of the fracture initiation zone demonstrate that the untimely formation of a fatigue core and very quick expansion of the crack directly result from over-brittleness. This behavior can be ascribed to insufficient tempering after the quenching process, which was confirmed by a tempering simulation experiment: after the tempering experiment, the artificial struck fracture of the sample became a 100% dimple fracture, and the hardness distribution became more uniform and reasonable. Thus, the brittleness was eliminated, and the strength was ensured after an expanding tempering time. This investigation can provide reference value for solving and preventing such types of failures.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle
AU  - Nan Nan
AU  - Jijun Feng
Y1  - 2022/04/28
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 55
EP  - 61
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13
AB  - Accidents caused by fractured torsion bars in off-road vehicles (ORVs) have occurred during road tests. Through visual inspection of the fracture in the failed samples, the preliminary conclusion is that the typical torsional fracture occurs according to its ratchet shape and 45-degree cracking direction to the bar axis. The crack initiated at the side surface of the fillet on the spline end. All failed parts during road tests have identical fracture modes and crack initiation sites, which implies that they have identical failure reasons. Techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metallographic observation, hardness test and spectral component analysis have been performed to obtain detailed information to diagnose the cause of failure. The result reveals that the fracture was caused by fatigue cracking initiated from the spline fillet. In addition, SEM images of the intergranular feature of the fracture initiation zone demonstrate that the untimely formation of a fatigue core and very quick expansion of the crack directly result from over-brittleness. This behavior can be ascribed to insufficient tempering after the quenching process, which was confirmed by a tempering simulation experiment: after the tempering experiment, the artificial struck fracture of the sample became a 100% dimple fracture, and the hardness distribution became more uniform and reasonable. Thus, the brittleness was eliminated, and the strength was ensured after an expanding tempering time. This investigation can provide reference value for solving and preventing such types of failures.
VL  - 11
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Nan Nan

School of Science, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan, China
Jijun Feng

Technical Center of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle, Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Wuhan, China

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Nan Nan, Jijun Feng. (2022). Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 11(2), 55-61. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13

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ACS Style

Nan Nan; Jijun Feng. Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2022, 11(2), 55-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13

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AMA Style

Nan Nan, Jijun Feng. Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2022;11(2):55-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13,
  author = {Nan Nan and Jijun Feng},
  title = {Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {11},
  number = {2},
  pages = {55-61},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20221102.13},
  abstract = {Accidents caused by fractured torsion bars in off-road vehicles (ORVs) have occurred during road tests. Through visual inspection of the fracture in the failed samples, the preliminary conclusion is that the typical torsional fracture occurs according to its ratchet shape and 45-degree cracking direction to the bar axis. The crack initiated at the side surface of the fillet on the spline end. All failed parts during road tests have identical fracture modes and crack initiation sites, which implies that they have identical failure reasons. Techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metallographic observation, hardness test and spectral component analysis have been performed to obtain detailed information to diagnose the cause of failure. The result reveals that the fracture was caused by fatigue cracking initiated from the spline fillet. In addition, SEM images of the intergranular feature of the fracture initiation zone demonstrate that the untimely formation of a fatigue core and very quick expansion of the crack directly result from over-brittleness. This behavior can be ascribed to insufficient tempering after the quenching process, which was confirmed by a tempering simulation experiment: after the tempering experiment, the artificial struck fracture of the sample became a 100% dimple fracture, and the hardness distribution became more uniform and reasonable. Thus, the brittleness was eliminated, and the strength was ensured after an expanding tempering time. This investigation can provide reference value for solving and preventing such types of failures.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Failure Analysis Report on Fractured Torsion Bar in Suspension of a Vehicle
AU  - Nan Nan
AU  - Jijun Feng
Y1  - 2022/04/28
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 55
EP  - 61
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221102.13
AB  - Accidents caused by fractured torsion bars in off-road vehicles (ORVs) have occurred during road tests. Through visual inspection of the fracture in the failed samples, the preliminary conclusion is that the typical torsional fracture occurs according to its ratchet shape and 45-degree cracking direction to the bar axis. The crack initiated at the side surface of the fillet on the spline end. All failed parts during road tests have identical fracture modes and crack initiation sites, which implies that they have identical failure reasons. Techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metallographic observation, hardness test and spectral component analysis have been performed to obtain detailed information to diagnose the cause of failure. The result reveals that the fracture was caused by fatigue cracking initiated from the spline fillet. In addition, SEM images of the intergranular feature of the fracture initiation zone demonstrate that the untimely formation of a fatigue core and very quick expansion of the crack directly result from over-brittleness. This behavior can be ascribed to insufficient tempering after the quenching process, which was confirmed by a tempering simulation experiment: after the tempering experiment, the artificial struck fracture of the sample became a 100% dimple fracture, and the hardness distribution became more uniform and reasonable. Thus, the brittleness was eliminated, and the strength was ensured after an expanding tempering time. This investigation can provide reference value for solving and preventing such types of failures.
VL  - 11
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download