Load Analysis and Weight Reduction Optimization of Connecting Rod

BY
Michael Sukham

To be submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for

The Master of Technology Degree
In
CAD/CAD
(SMBS)

Research Guide: Dr. Annamalai

VIT UNIVERSITY CHENNAI

September 2015

ABSTRACT
OF

Load Analysis and Weight Reduction Optimization of Connecting Rod

The main aim of the project was to analyze the stress distributions in a connecting rod and
thus explore the weight reduction possibilities in a connecting rod. Hence the study will deal with
the static and dynamic forces distribution in a connecting rod and its implications in the design of
a connecting rod. After the analysis of stress conditions, an optimization will follow for weight
and cost reduction by considering the alternative possibilities for material of connecting rods.
Firstly, the loads acting on a connecting rod will be studied with respect to time to find out
the various accelerations on the connecting rod. The relations for obtaining the loads and
accelerations for the connecting rod at a given constant speed of the crankshaft will also be
determined. Based on the results obtained, a suitable load for studying the optimization will be
considered.
As conclusion, the study will show that with the help of a detailed stress analysis on a
connecting rod, the various critical conditions of stress both in tensile and in compression on a
connecting rod can be obtained which will be used for reduction in material in areas of high factor
of safety and also the material used for the connecting rod thus leading to weight reduction in a
connecting rod without compromising with the performance of the same component.

INTRODUCTION

Connecting rods are practically used in all varieties of automobile engine. It serves as an
intermediate link between the piston and the crank shaft of an automobile engine. It converts or
transmits the reciprocating motion of a piston to the rotary motion of the crank shaft thus making
the vehicle move. A basic connecting rod for any automobile engine consist of a small end which
is connected to the piston with the help of a piston pin, and a big end which is connected to the
shaft with the help of bearings and bolts which normally varies from 2 to 6 in number.
As of now the commercial connecting rods used in most automobile engines are made of
stainless steel and aluminum alloys through forging as it provides higher productivity for a
relatively low economic cost of production. Forces on the connecting rod consist of both tensile
and compressive load which results in both axial and bending stresses.
Apart from the compressive and tensile load, any reciprocating component would have
vibrations during its working, thus making the dynamic analysis of connecting rods more
challenging than other engine parts. So for the analysis of a connecting rod, it is necessary to design
the working parameters and the constraints for the design. After the design considerations, the
model will be analyzed using finite element analysis and thus the required results will be obtained
to an optimal accuracy.
In this study the connecting rod is being designed using SOLIDWORKS 2015 and the
analysis will be done using ANSYS Workbench 14.5 keeping in mind the objective of the study
which is to analyze and optimize the existing connecting rod.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The connecting rods is subjected to a complex state of loading. It undergoes high

tensile and compressive cyclic loads in the order of 108 to 109 cycles. Hence with the ever
increasing capacity of engine loads and power, the durability of a connecting rod have to
be substantially increased to meet the required loads. Due to this, the analysis and
optimization of connecting rods plays a major role in every aspects of automotive industries.
The aspects of finite element analysis of connecting rods will be considered by the
following brief literature review.
Webster, W.D. Cofell R and Alfaro D performed a Three Dimensional Analysis of
high speed diesel engine connecting rods in 1983. It was one of the earliest analysis done
on a connecting rod. For this study they experimentally measured the maximum
compressive load on a connecting rod and the maximum tensile load which is the max piston
load. The stress distribution on the shaft end and the crank end was determined
experimentally.
Hsing Juin Lee et al performed a Shape Optimal Design of an Engine
Connecting Rod in 1987. Thei r m a i n a r e a o f s t u d y w a s on shape design sensitivity
analysis with application to the example of a connecting rod using lumping mass
constraints. The stress constraints were imposed on principal stresses of inertia and
compressive firing loads and dynamic features were studied.

In a case study f o r c o n n e c t i n g r o d s p u b l i s h e d b y S A E (1997), a

replacement connecting rod with 14% weight savings was designed by removing material
from areas that showed high factor of safety. Factor of safety with respect to fatigue
strength was obtained by performing FEA with applied loads including bolt tightening
load and piston pin interference load, compressive gas load and tensile inertia load.
The study lays down certain guidelines regarding the use of the fatigue limit of the
material and its reduction by a certain factor to account for the as-forged surface. The
study also indicates that buckling and bending stiffness are important design factors that
must be taken into account during the design process.
In a study conducted by Pravardhan S Shenoy on Dynamic Load Analysis and
Optimization of Connecting Rods in 2004, the weight optimization was performed under
cyclic loading condition comprising of tensile and static compressive loads as the two
extreme loads. Results generated consisted of the angular velocity, linear acceleration and
forces at the connecting rods. Quasi static analysis finite element analysis was used to
capture the actual structural behavior of the connecting rods. The study optimized a new
design which was 10% lighter than the existing connecting rods used. The material used
was a carbon alloy C70 and further proposed that by using fracture crack able alloys such
as micro alloys, the weight of the connecting rods can further be reduced. However the study
overlooked the oil film pressure in the big end of the connecting rods.
In a detailed fatigue and bearing analysis of engine connecting rod using multi body
dynamics by Deng Banglin et al. (2011), a hydrodynamic model was considered to study
the effect of oil film pressure in addition to the fatigue analysis. This provided a more
detailed study on the effects of friction in the bearing ends of a connecting rod. They

concluded that the maximum stress is corresponding to the largest gas pressure which is in
agreement with the previous studies and multi body dynamics with hydrodynamic model
was a more accurate way of analyzing the connecting rod.
Pranav G Charkha and Dr. Santosh B Jaju also conducted a study on the analysis
and optimization of forged steel connecting rods in 2009. They considered a single cycle
four stroke petrol engine connecting rod. Von misses stresses, shear stresses, equivalent
alternating stresses for fatigue analysis was considered and the connecting rod was
optimized by 9.24% weight reduction. However they proposed further weight reduction is
possible with the use of C70 as the connecting rod material.
In a study by Zhou Qinghui et al (2010) on the connecting rod of diesel engines, the
biggest stress induced was found to occur in the connecting rod big end and in one working
cycle of the connecting rod, the stress was mainly produced on the joint of the connecting
rod shell and the bottom end rod bolt. The analysis used was nonlinear analysis.
Optimization included increase in radius between connecting rod pin and the rod body and
increase in arc length.
Dongkai Jia et al (2011) conducted a structural analysis and optimization of diesel
engine connecting rod. In their study, the connecting rod big end was considered as a whole
to simplify the analysis without consideration of t
In a study by Prateek Josh et al. in 2015, three different materials were considered
for the connecting rods namely stainless steel, aluminum 7075 and the proposed replacing
material High strength carbon fibre. Their study showed that although the high strength
carbon fibre is lighter, more developments have to be made on its strength as the stress and
strain intensity was higher on it than the current existing connecting rod materials.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to optimize the existing forged steel and powdered forged
connecting rod and test for new material for replacing the connecting rod material. The optimization
will begin with the correct stress distribution on the different parts of the connecting rods, thus
helping in a correct analysis of the component.
Due to the complexity of the connecting rod design, separate stress analysis of the bearing
and oil film is not conducted for simplicity and better accuracy of the obtained results. Literature
review suggests the use of two maximum forces i.e. a maximum tensile loading and a maximum
compressive loading.
From the paper published by Pravardhan S Shenoy, the stress distributions are considered
with static supports applied at shaft end for tensile loading analysis of crank end and static support
on crank end for the compressive stress analysis of the shaft end. Cycle of 109 will be considered
for the fatigue analysis of the connecting rod.
Optimization of the connecting rod have to be performed in correct loading conditions.
Hence analytical load analysis will be considered for choosing the working condition of the
connecting rod. The design optimization already considered by earlier papers include:
a. Chamfering of I shaped cross section at the big end.
b. Edge chamfering of I shaped cross section at big end.
c. Diameter of the small end connecting rod shank.
d. Diameter of the big end connecting rod bearing.

The design considerations already obtained from earlier papers have been incorporated into the
design for an optimized result. However if further material reduction is possible, then the design
will be optimized for material removal from areas having a high factor of safety keeping in mind
the failure index.
At last new materials will be tested for replacement of the stainless steel and C70 alloy in
which the latter is the highly preferable choice of material owning to its higher strength with lower
weight. Powder forged steel are also the existing material for the connecting rod which will also be
taken into consideration for the study. Newly researched magnesium alloys are a possible candidate
for the replacement material.

PROBLEM DEFINITION

A connecting rod is subjected to mainly two forces which results in a complex motion for
the analysis namely:
a. Gas combustion pressure
b. Inertial force
The gas combustion pressure is transformed by the piston crown which in turn compresses the
connecting rod. The inertial force on the connecting rod is caused by the high speed moving of
piston which stretches the connecting rod.
There are two main types of motion which have to be considered for the analysis:
a. Vibrations (for small components)
b. Global motions (for the bigger and the lower ends of connecting rod)
A connecting rod material should possess good rigidity (for vibrational damping), light in
weight (for weight reduction) and strong (for resisting failure during loading and fatigue cycles).
In design consideration however increase in the size of a connecting rod doesnt solve the problem
of optimization of connecting rod although it increases the strength and stiffness because when
weight is increased the inertial force on the connecting rod also increases. Furthermore it brings
bad result in the strength of the diesel engine, the bearing load, balance and the shock on the engine.

Fig: Tensile force distribution on big end

Fig: Compressive force distribution

with cosine distribution over 1800 and

with axial compression over 1200

piston pin restrained over 1800

and piston pin restrained over 1800

METHODOLOGY

Since the connecting rod analysis considers the finite element analysis and the
analytical results, first the analytical results will be obtained in MS Excel which will help in the
correct application of force in the connecting rods. The force distribution has already been studied
in the earlier papers and studies conducted by different researchers. However the study considered
by Pravardhan S Shenoy provides a better insight to the various forces distributed along the crank
end and the shaft end in the connecting rod.
For the compressive stress analysis on the connecting rod, the force is distributed
over an angle of 1200 on the bigger end while the static support is given on the smaller end over
an angle of 1200.
For the tensile loading analysis, the axial stress is distributed over an angle of 1800
over the upper end of the crank end while the static support is on the piston end over an angle of
1800. The angle of force distribution is considered from the study done by Pravardhan S Shenoy.
For the fatigue test, a cycle in the order of 109 will be considered as proposed by
literature review. Then the analysis will be checked for areas with higher factor of safety for
material removal and optimization for replacement of the connecting rod for weight reduction will
be carried out.

WORK DONE

A simple model of the connecting rod is designed using SOLIDWORKS 14.5. The
dimensions were obtained from commercial connecting rod specifications for motorcycles.
However the engine component is not included into the design for simplicity and also because the
study is mainly based for connecting rods.
Study of literature review carried out suggest that before the finite element analysis is
carried out, the forces should be analyzed using formulae for better result and also for cross
checking the forces acting on the connecting rod. The dimensions of the connecting rod designed
is shown in the figure. The formulae used for determining the forces are also analyzed manually
for compatibility with the design.

Fig: Conrod design

DIMENSION OF CONROD USED

SCOPE OF STUDY
Since newer materials are always discovered or invented, connecting rod
materials can be analysed for greater strength, lesser weight to volume ratio and also with good
damping quality. Composites can be considered for the conencting rod material as composites
offer light weight solution to the weight optimization. However the strength properties do not quite
match with the performance conditions of the connecting rod owning to the high vibration, load
and also the temperature in which the conencting rod works on.
Bearings which is not considered for the study can be considered for furthur
more accurate analysis of the connecting rod, although the factor of safety is quite high as seen
from previous findings. The hydrodynamic model analysis has also been skipped for simpler
analysis of the conrod. Hence furthur work can also include the effect of oil film pressure on the
crank pin bearing shell of the connecting rod.
The connecting rod considered here represents flat end big end cap. However
previous findings and study suggest that fractured joining is more desirable as there is no sliping
of the big end and also the components are held in place firmly which results in better load
distribution over the crank end.

WORK TO BE DONE
Analysis of the model is yet to be done as the material is yet to be considered.
Magnesium based alloys will be tested for the various conditions and results in the analysis.
Magnesium based alloys are lighter in weight and also possess good tensile and yield strength.
However they cannot be used under high temperature working conditions hence different alloys
have to be analyzed for the connecting rod material. Apart from the material, the design
optimization for weight reduction will also be considered.
After the analysis, maximum loading conditions will be considered which will
in turn help us in locating the various locations of failure as per our loading conditions.

Fig: Compressive loading of conrod at the pin end with load 45kN