Simulation of the Stress-Strain State of Diesel Engine Pistons Taking into Account Inelastic Deformations

The failure of aluminum pistons of diesel engines is often associated with formation of cracks originating at the bowl rim. The appearance of cracks is a consequence of thermal fatigue of the material due to low-frequency cycles of heating and cooling of the piston during the engine start-up, operation at various speed and load conditions, and subsequent shutdown. To assess the lifetime of the bowl rim, it is necessary to simulate non-isothermal elastoplastic deformation of the alloy using material plasticity and creep models available in finite element analysis software (e.g. ANSYS). This paper presents the results of uniaxial tensile and creep tests of proportional specimens made from piston blanks of the V-type diesel engines YaMZ-658. The piston material is AlSi12CuNiMg silumin alloy. The article describes methods for determining constants in plasticity and creep models. The results of numerical simulation of the piston’s stress-strain state for the start — nominal power mode — stop cycle using the finite element method are presented. Conclusions about the presence of plastic and creep strains at the piston edge are drawn.

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