3D Frictionless Contact Case between the Structure of E-Bike and the Ground

China is currently the world's largest producer and distributor of electric bicycle (e-bike). The increasing number of e-bikes on the road is accompanied by rising injuries and even deaths of e-bike drivers. Therefore, there is a growing need to improve the safety structure of e-bikes. This 3D frictionless contact analysis is a preliminary, but necessary work for further structural design improvement of an e-bike. The contact analysis between e-bike and the ground was carried out as follows: firstly, the Penalty method was illustrated and derived from the simplest spring-mass system. This is one of the most common methods to satisfy the frictionless contact case; secondly, ANSYS static analysis was carried out to verify finite element (FE) models with contact pair (without friction) between e-bike and the ground; finally, ANSYS transient analysis was used to obtain the data of the penetration p(u) of e-bike with respect to the ground. Results obtained from the simulation are as estimated by comparing with that from theoretical method. In the future, protective shell will be designed following the stability criteria and added to the frame of e-bike. Simulation of side falling of the improvedsafety structure of e-bike will be confirmed with experimental data.

Frictionless Contact Problem Between Two Orthotropic Elastic Layers

A frictionless contact problem for a two-layer orthotropic elastic medium loaded through a rigid flat stamp is considered. It is assumed that tensile tractions are not allowed and only compressive tractions can be transmitted across the interface. In the solution, effect of gravity is taken into consideration. If the external load on the rigid stamp is less than or equal to a critical value, continuous contact between the layers is maintained. The problem is expressed in terms of a singular integral equation by using the theory of elasticity and the Fourier transforms. Numerical results for initial separation point, critical separation load and contact stress distribution are presented.

Contact Problem for an Elastic Layered Composite Resting on Rigid Flat Supports

In this study, the contact problem of a layered composite which consists of two materials with different elastic constants and heights resting on two rigid flat supports with sharp edges is considered. The effect of gravity is neglected. While friction between the layers is taken into account, it is assumed that there is no friction between the supports and the layered composite so that only compressive tractions can be transmitted across the interface. The layered composite is subjected to a uniform clamping pressure over a finite portion of its top surface. The problem is reduced to a singular integral equation in which the contact pressure is the unknown function. The singular integral equation is evaluated numerically and the results for various dimensionless quantities are presented in graphical forms.