Independent Rear Axle Suspension – Rough-Terrain Road-Load Testing

The client was preparing a new independent suspension with ride-height air control for a rear trailer axle to enter rough-terrain development. Each wheel moved independently, demanding careful measurement of structural loads and dynamic response to ensure the concept could withstand service conditions and inform fatigue life predictions.

We deployed a full instrumentation package: strain gauges on key suspension members for stress/strain capture, plus accelerometers for dynamic response and simulator inputs. Cables were routed from the suspension through the trailer to the tractor; the data acquisition system was installed in the sleeper cab with a live readout positioned for the field data engineer in the passenger seat.

We executed a structured test plan with staged load increases across representative rough-terrain segments, targeting high-value road-load datasets for fatigue ride simulation and comparison against FEA predictions.

The programme emphasised disciplined execution: incremental loading, live monitoring, and immediate QA on signal integrity and strain ranges before advancing to higher severities. Measurement datasets were processed for rainflow-style cycle counting and prepared for FEA correlation and simulator use.

• Captured high-quality road-load strain and acceleration data under real rough-terrain conditions.

• Prepared datasets for fatigue ride simulation and FEA correlation to validate structural assumptions.

• Critical lesson: do not veer from the planned incremental load schedule—premature maximum-load trials caused plastic deformation, ending field measurements and reducing programme value.

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Led by a Chartered Mechanical Engineer MBA CEng MIMechE MIoA with 29 years’ experience in mechnanical engineering, vibration, dynamics and acoustics, delivering projects internationally across automotive, aerospace, defence, energy and recycling.

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