Mechanical characteristics of new mesh-type elastic plate under different temperatures and vehicle dynamics loads

The dynamic characteristics of the elastic plate are affected by changes in ambient temperature. In this study, tensile tests of rubber materials at different temperatures were conducted, revealing that rubber materials exhibit significant nonlinearity and sensitivity at low temperatures. Finite element models of Groove Elastic Plate (GEP) and New Mesh-Type Elastic Plate (NMTEP) were established, incorporating the corresponding rubber material parameters to simulate temperature effects. The stress, deformation, stiffness, and damping characteristics of the two types of elastic plates were analyzed under varying temperature conditions. Finite element calculations show that NMTEP maintains better structural stability, lower static/dynamic stiffness, and a higher damping ratio at low temperatures. Additionally, dynamic calculations indicate that temperature variations significantly impact the track system's dynamic performance. The vibration and wheel-rail forces for NMTEP are significantly lower than those for GEP under all temperature conditions, suggesting that NMTEP is more conducive to vehicle safety and stability at low temperatures. •Rubber exhibits significant nonlinearity and sensitivity at −20 to −40 °C.•The temperature variation characteristics of GEP and NMTEP were compared using tests and FE analysis.•NMTEP demonstrates good vibration reduction effect across different temperatures.