See

discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266564987

NONLINEAR MATHEMATICAL
MODEL TO DETERMINE THE
STIFFNESS OF THE AUTOMOTIVE
WHEEL BEARING

Conference Paper May 2013

DOI: 10.13140/2.1.4087.1683

READS

53

3 authors, including:

Milan Zeljkovi
University of Novi Sad
50 PUBLICATIONS 39 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

Slobodan Tabakovi
University of Novi Sad
20 PUBLICATIONS 9 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

Available from: Milan Zeljkovi

Retrieved on: 05 August 2016
 NONLINEAR MATHEMATICAL MODEL TO DETERMINE THE
STIFFNESS OF THE AUTOMOTIVE WHEEL BEARING
Aleksandar ivkovi1, Milan Zeljkovi2, Slobodan Tabakovi3

Summary: This paper presents a mathematical model with five degrees of freedom to
determine the stiffness of the automotive wheel bearing. The mathematical model
consists of two parts. The first part of the developed software solution to determine the
contact stiffness for each rolling elements, while the second part on the basis of
contact stiffness determines the stiffness of bearing based on the finite element
method. Software solution is developed based on Hertz's contact load and John Harris
of the quasi-static equilibrium equations. Contact bearing stiffness matrix is determined
for different arrangements of bearings in the support. Mathematical model analyzes the
influence of the cornering acceleration of the automotive wheel and clearance on the
bearnig stiffness. The research in this paper shows that the cornering acceleration of
the automotive wheel significantly affects the radial stiffness, while the clerances
significantly influence the angular and axial stiffness.

1. INTRODUCTION
In today's automotive industry is becoming more common developing the
wheel bearings of vehicles based on the integration of each component axis ("Hub Unit
Bearing - HUB") in order to reduce the weight and dimensions as well as to improve
overall vehicle performance.
Based on of present knowledge we can conclude that there are three directions
of development of constructive solutions wheel bearing. One of the directions of the
development of HUB unit bearing is advanced technology in making axle. This
technology is based on a compact module HHM (Halfshaft Hub Module), which
reduces the weight of the vehicle and increases the flexibility of the system for the
suspension and steering systems. Another direction of development of constructive
solutions wheel bearing vehicle is its integration with the brake drum. This solution
provides a longer bearing life and rigidity while reducing weight, easy installation and
lower costs. The third line of development of constructive solutions wheel bearing
vehicles with integrated brake discs. Application of this solution is primarily expected in
sports cars.

1
Dr, Aleksandar ivkovi, Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of tehnical science, (acoz@uns.ac.rs)
2
Dr Milan Zeljkovi, Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of tehnical science, (milanz@uns.ac.rs)
3
Dr Slobodan Tabakovi, Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of tehnical science, (tabak@uns.ac.rs)

155
Aleksandar ivkovi, Milan Zeljkovi, Slobodan Tabakovi

This paper analyzes the influence of lateral acceleration and clearance on

stiffness of the HUB unit beraing second generation. The analysis was conducted
using the developed mathematical model with five degrees of freedom. The
mathematical model takes into account inertia forces, clearance in the bearing and
bearing temperature elements.

2. MATHEMATICAL MODEL
When defining the mathematical model used two coordinate system as shown
in Figure 1 The first is a general coordinate system {x,y,z,y,z}T, which is associated
with the degrees of freedom of rotating ring and is located in the center of the bearing.
The second is a local coordinate system {r, x, }T, which defines the position of the
center rotating raceways for each rolling element and is set in the center of curvature
of the outer raceways of rolling bearings. It is assumed that the center of curvature of
the inner raceways stationary and used as a fixed point when the outer ring is rotary.
In the event that no action of external load centers of the raceways is located at
a distance A, as shown in the Fig. 1. After effects of static load, the distance between
the center of curvature of the inner and outer raceways A increases the size of the
contact deformation u and s. The line between the load centers are collinear with
distance A.
However, the action of the centrifugal force and gyroscopic moment of rolling
elements, due to the different angles of contact between the rolling body and the outer
and inner raceways, the line of the load will is not be colinear with the distance
between the centers. In Figure 2 shows the position of the center of rolling bodies and
positions the center of curvature of the inner raceways with and without the action of
centrifugal force and gyroscopic moment in rolling body.

Fig.1. Coordinate system of model Fig.2. Positions of ball center and raceway groove
with five degrees of freedom curvature centers at angular positions i with and
without applied load
In Figure 2, X1j, X2j, ij, oj, ij, oj are the axial and radial components of the
position of the center of the rolling body, angle of contact with the inner and outer

156
Nonlinear mathematical model to determine the stiffness of the automotive wheel bearing

raceways and rolling distance between the center of the body and the center of
curvature of the inner and outer raceways. Bearing elements deform under the action
of loads. On heating elements bearing leads to shrinkage of rolling bodies and
expanding the rings. Due to these changes, there is a changing distance between the
center of curvature of the inner and outer raceways and new position the center of the
body. In case of considering the influence of clearance and temperature of this
distance is defined as:
ij fi 0.5 db ij Gr b
(1)
oj fo 0.5 db oj Gr b
The distance between two positions of vectors in the ball bearing with angular
contact is defined as:
A1 j A sin p x z ri cos j y Ri sin j
A2 j A sin p y cos j z sin j (2)

c1e y sin j z cos j o i ucent .
In the equations (1) i (2): fi=db/di, fo=db/do, db-rolling element diameter, di, do-
diameter of the inner and outer raceways, i, o-deformations of the inner and outer
raceways, Gr- positive clearance / negative clearance, b- thermal expansion of the
rolling element, e=2*ru*c2*tg(0) - effective load center [2], constants c1 and c2 are
related to raceways number and arrangement of the bearings in the support [2], i, o-
thermal expansion of the inner and outer ring, ucent.-centrifugal expansion of the outer
ring. Applying the Pythagorean theorem, according to Figure 2, we get the following
equation of dispalcmenet:
A A X l G
2 2 2
X1 j 0
1j 2j 2j ij ij r b
(3)
X l G 0
2 2
X 12j 2j o oj oj r b

The equation of the forces equilibrium on the roller element is:

M gj
Qoj cos oj Qij cos ij
dk
ij
sin oj oj sin uj Fcj 0
(4)
M gj
Qoj sin oj Qij sin ij
dk
oj cos oj ij cos ij 0
where: Qi i Qo- Hertzs contact forces, Mg- gyroscopic moment, Fc- centrifugal
force, - constant depending of the raceway control.
Hertz's contact force between the inner raceways and rolling elements and the
outer raceways and rolling elements are determined by the [3,4]:
Ki i3/(i )2

Qi / o (i )
3/ 2
K o o (i )
(5)
Will get rolling with an outer or inner raceways depends on the fulfillment of the
conditions set out in the table T.1 [1].
Table T1. Conditions in which there is pure rolling
Outer ring
Qsj asj Esj cos uj sj Quj auj Euj
Inner ring Quj auj E cos
uj uj sj Q
sj a sj E sj

Under different conditions of rolling the body loses contact with the inner ring. In
other words, the outer raceway generates the force of reaction between rolling

157
Aleksandar ivkovi, Milan Zeljkovi, Slobodan Tabakovi

elements and the centripetal acceleration. As a result, the external angle of contact oj j
and gyroscopic moment becomes equal to 0 Contact force with the external ring Qoj in
this case, is equal to the centrifugal force Fcj, respectively, with the external
deformation path is doj=(Foj/Ko)2/3. To avoid loss of contact with the inner raceways
must be satisfied the following condition [1]:
A12j A2 j f o 0.5 db K o2 / 3 Fcj2 / 3 fi 0.5 db
2 2

(6)
Nonlinear motion equation (3) and the equilibrium equation (4) can be solved
simultaneously using the Newton-Raphson's method of iteration to determine unknown
X1j, X2j, ij i oj.
In the case of a rotary bearing outer ring, the forces and moments acting on the
outer ring is calculated by the following equations:
M gj
Qoj sin oj cos oj
db
M gj
Qoj cos oj sin oj cos j
Fx db (7)
F

y 2 Z M gj

Fz
M

a 1 i 1





Qoj cos oj
d b
sin oj


sin j

y M gj
M z ro Qoj sin oj cos oj f o M gj sin j
db


M gj
ro Qoj sin oj cos oj f o M gj cos j

d b
If the relative displacement bearing marked with km, where k = x, y, z, y, z
and m= i, o, then the contact stiffness of bearing can be expressed by:
Fku Z T Q j
KiL,k T j T j
u
k j 1 u j i
Fks Z T Q j
KoL,k T j T j
s
k j 1 u j o (8)
where [Tj] transformation matrix of the form:
cos j sin j 0 sin j cos j

T j 0 0 1 ru cos j ru cos j
0 0 0 sin j cos j
(9)
The total contact stiffness of bearing based on [5] calculated as stiffness inner
and outer ring:
K L Ki Ko (10)
By changing the vehicle from linear to rotary motion, a significant action of
moment and angular displacement of bearing around the Z axis. This makes for the
HUB unit bearing vehicle is an important parameter and angular stiffness. However,
the angular stiffness can not be determined using standard methods for the outer ring,
which is significantly larger than the inner ring. The outer ring represents the hub and
wheel vehicles. The most reliable way of determining the angular stiffness of the HUB
unit bearing vehicles using finite element method. At the workshop drawings beraing,
defined by a 3D model of the HUB unit bearing shown in Figure 3. Axial and radial

158
Nonlinear mathematical model to determine the stiffness of the automotive wheel bearing

effect of the rolling elements in rolling raceways (contact load) is defined in terms of
contact pairs, for which particular attention was given to discretization raceways be
identical throughout the volume.
Based on the previously prepared data on loads and stiffness values for each
rolling body in the processing part was established mathematical model (Fig. 3). Its
solution is defined by the angular displacement of points A and B. Based on certain
shifts in the points A and B, it is possible to determine the angular stiffness outer ring,
and thus the whole bearing as [6]:
u=(A- B)
=tg-1(u/D) (11)
k=M/
where: u -angular displacement; A and B - displacement the points A and B, M-
moment, D-diameter outer ring acorrding to Figure 3

Fig.3. Mathematical model for determining the angular stiffness

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Analysis stiffness of HUB unit bearng is made on the basis of reaction forces at
the wheel of vehicles for a variety of conditions, lateral acceleration g = 0 to 0.8 and for
different values of the clerances.

3.1 INFLUENCE OF LATERAL ACCELERATION OF BEARING STIFFNESS

Due to the uneven distribution of the load and the contact angle on the rolling
raceways, there is an unequal stiffness of raceways I and II. Since the raceway II all
the rolling elements in the loading zone, it will appear at the raceway II greater rigidity.
Figure 4 shows the stiffness in the radial direction of the raceways I and II with lateral
acceleration G=0.4. The sum of these two stiffness gives the overall stiffness
depending on the lateral acceleration. Figure 5 shows the modified total axial and
radial stiffness depending on acceleration. The axial stiffness of the HUB unit bearing
decreased with increasing lateral acceleration from 0 to 0.8 with 595 to 234 [N / m],
which caused a decrease in the radial stiffness of 642 to 323 [N / m]. The biggest
drop in the axial and radial stiffness after a lateral acceleration g = 0.4, after which it
decreased by 56%. Since g = 0 to g = 0.4 stiffness is reduced by 9 %.

159
Aleksandar ivkovi, Milan Zeljkovi, Slobodan Tabakovi

120 40

100 35
Radial stiffnes [N/ m]

80 30

60 25

40 20

20 15

0 10
0 100 200 300 400 0 100 200 300 400
Anular position [] Angular position [ ]
Fig.4. Changing the radial stiffness of each rolling body with G = 0.4::a)
raceway I; b) raceway II according to Fig 3.
700
kxx
kyy
600
Stiffness [N/ m]

500

400

300

200
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Cornering acc. [-]
Fig.5. Changing the axial and radial stiffness depending on the lateral acceleration
7 500

6
450
Angular displacment [m/rad]

Angular stiffness [Nm/rad]

400
4

3
350

2
300
1

0 250
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Cornering acc [-] Cornering acc. [-]
Fig.6. Change of angular displacement and angular stiffness depending on the
lateral acceleration

160
Nonlinear mathematical model to determine the stiffness of the automotive wheel bearing

Figure 6 shows the changes of angular displacements and angular stiffness

depending on the lateral acceleration. Angular displacement of the HUB unit bearing
growth by increasing lateral acceleration from 0 to 0.8 to 87%, with a reduction in
angular stiffness by 46%. Angular stiffness to the lateral acceleration g = 0.4 decreases
by 4%, followed by a sharp decline by 41%.

2.3 INFLUENCE OF AXIAL CLEARANCE OF BEARING STIFFNESS

Another important parameter in the HUB unit bearing is clearance. In the
analysis of the considered size axial clearance from -10 to +40 [m] in steps of 5 [m].
Considered the size of axial clearance are real-value used in the experimental tests,
obtained by measuring the bearing during assembly.
Figure 7 shows the change of axial and radial stiffness depending on the
clearance. Axial displacement bearings increase by 26% by reducing negative
clearance and increasing the clearance, and comes with a reduction in the axial
stiffness by 12%. Graduating from the overlap clearance also leads to the increase of
the radial displacement of 25%, which reduction of the radial stiffness of the HUB unit
bearing for 6%. Angular stiffness and displacements are determined by the procedure
described in the previous section. In Figure 8 show the change of angular stiffness
depending on the clearance. Increasing clearance reduces the angular stiffness by
12%.
From the above analysis it can be concluded that the lateral acceleration g =
0.4 has a greater influence on the radial stiffness, while clearance less influence than
the angular and axial stiffness.
600 500
kxx
Angular siffness [Nm/ \rad]

580
kyy 480
Stiffness [N/ m]

560

540 460

520
440
500

480 420
-10 0 10 20 30 40
-10 0 10 20 30 40
Clerance [m]
Clerance [ m]

Fig.7. Changing the axial and radial Fig.8. Changing the angular stiffness
stiffness depending on the clearance depending on the clearance

4. CONCLUSION
For of the HUB unit bearring due to lower vehicle speed centrifugal force is
small, so the difference between the contact load paths with rolling below 3%, so that
the influence of inertial forces can be neglected. Due to the uneven distribution of the
load and the contact angle on the rolling slopes, there is an unequal stiffness bearings.
The axial stiffness of the HUB unit bearing decreased with increasing lateral
acceleration.
Another important parameter in the HUB unit bearing is axial clearance.

161
Aleksandar ivkovi, Milan Zeljkovi, Slobodan Tabakovi

Number of rolling elements that transmit the load is directly dependent on the clerance.
For higher values of axial clearance should be greater axial load, that all rolling
elements involved in transferring loads. Reducing negative clerance and increasing the
clerance, there is a reduction of the axial and radial stiffness.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In this paper some results of the project: Contemporary approaches to the
development of special solutions related to bearing supports in mechanical engineering
and medical prosthetics TR 35025, carried out by the Faculty of Technical Sciences,
University of Novi Sad, Serbia, are presented. The project is supported by Ministry of
the education, science and technological development of the Republic of Serbia.

REFERENCES
[1] Cao, Y.(2006): Modeling of high-speed machine tools spindle system, Ph.D thesis,
The University of British Columbia, 2006.
[2] Gunduz, A (2012): Multi-dimensional stiffness characteristics of double row
angular contact ball bearings and their role in influencing vibration modes,
Doctoral Dissertation, The Ohio State University.
[3] Harris, T. A., Michael, N. K. (2007): Rolling bearing analysis: Advanced Concepts
of Bearing Technology, Fifth edition, Taylor & Francis Group
[4] Harris, T. A., Michael, N. K. (2007): Rolling bearing analysis: Essential Concepts
of Bearing Technology, Fifth edition, Taylor & Francis Group.
[5] Li, H., Yung, C. S.(2004): Analysis of bearing configuration effects on high speed
spindles using an integrated dynamic thermo-mechanical spindle model,
International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, Vol. 44, Pages 347364.
[6] Lee, I., Cho, Y., Kim, M., Jang, C., Lee, Y., Lee, S. (2012): Development of
stiffness analysis program for automotive wheel bearing, 2012 Simulia Community
Conference, pp 1-8.
[7] ivkovi, A. (2013): Computer and experimental analysis of behavior ball bearings
for special applications, Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of technical science,
University of Novi Sad, Serbia.

162