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Finite Element Analysis of Crankshaft

Conference Paper · January 2011

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 Finite Element Analysis of Crankshaft
Ashwin Kumar Devaraj
Asst.Professor, Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering,MIT,Manipal
ashwindevaraj@gmail.com
Abstract— The crankshaft is an important part of IC engine
that converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into rotary
motion through the connecting rod. A crankshaft should have
sufficient strength to withstand the bending and twisting
moments to which it is subjected. This study describes the
stress distribution of a forged steel crankshaft used in a single
cylinder 4 stroke vertical engine by using commercial Finite
Element Analysis (FEA) software ANSYS™ .The stress
analysis results are significant to improve the component
design at the early developing stage. Modal analysis was
carried out to determine the natural frequencies of the
crankshaft and the mode shapes were examined.
Keywords-Crankshaft, ANSYS™ software, modal analysis,
natural frequency, mode shape.
Introduction
Crankshaft is a large component with a complex
geometry in the engine, which converts the reciprocating
displacement of the piston to a rotary motion with a four link
mechanism. This study was conducted on a single cylinder
four stroke cycle engine. Rotation output of an engine is a
practical and applicable input to other devices since the
linear displacement of an engine is not a smooth output as
the displacement is caused by the combustion of gas in the
combustion chamber. A crankshaft changes these sudden
displacements to a smooth rotary output which is the input to
many devices such as generators, pumps, compressors.
Crankshaft experiences large forces from gas
combustion. This force is applied to the top of the piston and
since the connecting rod connects the piston to the
crankshaft, the force will be transmitted to the crankshaft.
The magnitude of the force depends on many factors which
consists of crank radius, connecting rod dimensions, weight
of the connecting rod, piston, piston rings, and pin.
Combustion and inertia forces acting on the crankshaft cause
two types of loading on the crankshaft structure; torsional
load and bending load.
Farzin[1] conducted finite element analysis on
crankshaft to obtain the variation of stress magnitude at
critical locations. The dynamic analysis was done
analytically and was verified by simulations in ADAMS
which resulted in the load spectrum applied to crankpin
bearing. This load was then applied to the FE model in
ABAQUS, and boundary conditions were applied according
to the engine mounting conditions. Results from FE analysis
were verified by strain gages attached to several locations on
the forged steel crankshaft.
A geometrically restricted model of a light automotive
crankshaft was studied by Borges [2]. The FEM analysis was
performed in ANSYS software and a three dimensional
model made of Photoelastic material with the same boundary
conditions was used to verify the results. This study was
based on static load analysis and investigated loading at a
specific crank angle. The FE model results showed uniform
stress distribution over the crank, and the only region with
high stress concentration was the fillet between the crank-pin
bearing and the crank web.
Mohamad[3] performed modal analysis to determine the
mode shape and natural frequency of a 3 cylinder 4 stroke
engine crankshaft. The test was done in both simulation and
also experimental using a simple test rig. The crankshaft was
modeled using Solidworks computer aided design (CAD)
software and simulation analysis was done in ALGOR
computational aided engineering (CAE) software.
Experimental modal analysis was done by using impact
hammer to excite the crankshaft and the results for both
simulation and experimental were compared. The mode
shapes were simulated using ALGOR. The differences in the
results between simulation and experimental was discussed.
Problem Statement
This project will focus on the study of maximum stresses
on a forged steel crankshaft of four stroke IC engine at
steady state condition resulting from engine combustion
pressure during starting the engine. Cyclical changes in gas
pressure inside the cylinder will encourage the crankshaft
torsional vibrations The crankshaft torsional vibration is the
leading cause for its failure
Objectives

To determine the critical stress regions on the crankshaft.

To determine the natural frequencies and mode shapes
(modal parameters) of the crankshaft by performing
prestressed modal analysis using ANSYS.
Load Analysis
The centre crankshaft has two webs and three journal
bearings for support.. Though crankshaft is considered as a
single component it consists of crankpin, crankweb and
shaft as shown in. Fig.1 with the corresponding 2D model as
shown in Fig.2.It belongs to an engine with the
configuration shown in TABLE.1 and piston pressure versus
crankshaft angle plot [1] shown in Fig.3. Although the
pressure plot changes for different engine speeds, the
maximum pressure which is much
ch of our concern does not
change and the same graph could be used for different
speeds [4].

Fig.3 Piston pressure versus crankshaft angle diagram

Fig.4 shows the variations of bending and torsion

loads[1] and the magnitude of the total force applied to the
crankshaft as a function of crankshaft angle for the engine
speed of 3600 rpm. The maximum load which happens at
355 degrees is where combustion takes place, at this moment
the acting force on the crankshaft
haft is just bending load since
Fig.1 Crankshaft geometry the direction of the force is exactly toward the center of the
crank radius (i.e. Fy=0 in Fig.1). 1). This maximum load
situation happens in all types of engines with a slight
difference in the crank angle. In addition, most analysis
ana done
on engines with more cylinders (e.g. 4, 6, and 8) is on a
portion of the crankshaft that consists of two main journal
bearings, two crank webs, and a connecting rod pin journal.
Therefore,, analysis done for this single cylinder engine can
be extended to larger engines.

Fig.2 2D Model

TABLE.1 Configuration of the engine to which the crankshaft belongs.

Crankshaft radius 25mm

Piston Diameter 105mm
Stroke length 200mm
Maximum gas 3.2MPa
pressure
Fig.4 Bending, torsional, and the resultant force at the connecting rod
bearing at the engine speed of 3600 rpm

In many studies the torsional load is less than 10 percent

of the bending load [5]. ]. In this specific engine with its
dynamic loading, torsional load has no effect on the range of
Von Mises stress at the critical location. The main reason of
torsional load not having much effect on the stress range is
that the maxima of bending and torsional loading happen at
different times (see Fig.4).
). In addition, when the peak of the
bending load takes place the magnitude of torsional load is The pressure acting on the top semicircular region of the
zero. crankpin is given by the ratio of the maximum force to the
projected area of the crank pin bearing.
Finite Element Modeling
27709
The material properties of the crankshaft are listed in
  9.23

Table2. 6050

TABLE.2 Material properties of Crankshaft The above pressure is applied as a surface load on the top
Material Young’s Poisson’s Density Yield semicircular surface of the crankpin.
Specification modulus Ratio (kg/m3) stress
(N/mm2) (N/mm2) As suggested by Farzin[1],only 180 degrees of the bearing
Forged steel 2e5 0.3 7800 250 surfaces facing the load direction constrain the motion of the
crankshaft when under load. Therefore the bottom
semicircular surface of the shaft region is fixed.
The simplified model of the crankshaft is modeled using Finite element analysis Results
CatiaV5 R14 by using the diagrams shown in Fig.2 given in
[7].Finite element analysis is done using Solid 95 element
Static analysis
from ANSYS 11.0™ element library. It is defined by 20
nodes having three degrees of freedom per node: translations
Static analysis is carried out by considering the prestress
in the nodal x, y, and z directions. SOLID95 elements have
effects so that modal analysis of the prestressed crankshaft
compatible displacement shapes and are well suited to model
can be carried out. The Von Mises Equivalent stress plot is
curved boundaries. The Finite Element Modeling resulted in
shown in Fig.6.
72715 solid elements as ahown in Fig.5.

Fig.6.Von Mises Equivalent Stress plot

Fig.5. Finite Elemnet Model model of the crankshaft
Loading and Boundary conditions
It is assumed that the maximum force due to combustion
acts on the the top semicircular region of crankpin and it is
given by the formula,
 Modal Analysis

  
From Fig.6 we can observe that the maximum stresses
are located on the regions of the crankshaft with stress
concentration. These regions correspond to the interface
between the shaft and the web and web and the pin. The
maximum resultant Von Mises stress of 49MPa is observed
near the interface of the web and shaft.

4


     
, Prestressed modal analysis is carried out to determine the
    ! !  natural frequencies and mode shapes of the prestressed
model. Block Lanczos method[9] is used to obtain natural
frequencies and mode shapes as shown in Fig.7,Fig.8 and
From TABLE.1
 Fig.9.

  105 3.2  27709*
4

Fig.7 First mode (1369 Hz)
Fig.8 Second mode (2158 Hz)
Fig.9 Third mode (2435 Hz)
Fig.7 corresponds to first torsional mode with torsional
frequency of 1369Hz and both the webs are displaced in the
same direction. This value is in good agreement with the
result obtained by Zhao[4]. Fig.8 corresponds to first
bending mode and the webs are bending along the axis of
crankshaft. Fig.9 corresponds to the second torsional mode
and the webs are displaced in the opposite directions.
Conclusion
1.The maximum load occurs at the crank angle of 355
degrees for this specific engine. At this angle only bending
load is applied to the crankshaft.
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2.This research was performed on crankshafts from
single cylinder engines.However, since the basis of analysis
are the same for multi-cylinder engines, the procedures used
could be modified and implemented for crankshafts from
other types of engines.
3.Considering torsional load in the overall dynamic
loading conditions has no effect on von Mises stress at the
critically stressed location. The effect of torsion on the stress
range is also relatively small at other locations undergoing
torsional load. Therefore,the crankshaft analysis could be
simplified to applying only bending load.
4.Critical stress locations on the crankshaft geometry are
the regions corresponding to the interface between the shaft
and the web and web and the pin which result in high stress
concentration factors.
5.The fatigue crack will usually arise from critical stress
locations of the crankshaft .So it is necessary to conduct
fatigue analysis.
6.Knowing the natural frequencies of the crankshaft the
resonance problems can be avoided by keeping the excitation
frequencies far away from the natural frequencies thus
avoiding dynamic failure.
References
[1] Farzin H. Montazersadgh and Ali Fatemi,“Stress Analysis and
Optimization of Crankshafts Subject to Dynamic Loading”
[2] Borges, A. C., Oliveira, L. C., and Neto, P. S., 2002, “Stress
Distribution in a Crankshaft Crank Using a Geometrically Restricted
Finite Element Model,” SAE Technical Paper No. 2002-01-2183,
Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, USA.
[3] Muhammad nasiruddin bin anidin,“Finite Element Analysis Of Upper
Crankshaft Six Stroke Engine using CAE software”, November
2009.
[4] Fergusen, C. R., 1986, “Internal Combustion Engines, Applied
Thermo Science,” John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY, USA
[5] Jensen, E. J., 1970, “Crankshaft strength through laboratory testing,”
SAE Technical Paper No.700526, Society of Automotive Engineers
[6] Zhao Guangming, Jiang Zhengfeng,” Study on Torsional Stiffness of
Engine Crankshaft”, International Forum on Computer Science-
Technology and Applications, 2009.
[7] Mahadevan K. & Balaveera Reddy K. (1987) “Design Data
Handbook” CBS Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi.
[8] Bhandari V.B. (2010) “Design of Machine Elements” Tata McGraw
Hill Publishing Company , New Delhi
[9] Ansys11.0TM reference manual, Ansys Inc.