Design of Connecting Rod

DESIGN OF CONNECTING ROD
1. DIMENSIONS OF CROSS-SECTION OF THE CONNECTING ROD

A connecting rod is a machine member which is subjected to alternating direct compressive and tensile
forces. Since the compressive forces are much higher than the tensile forces, therefore, the cross-section of
the connecting rod is designed as a strut and the Rankines formula is used.
The most suitable section for the connecting rod is I-section.
In order to have a connecting rod equally strong in buckling about both the axes, following condition must
be satisfied.
Ixx=4 Iy y
If I xx > 4 I yy, then buckling will occur about Y- axis and if I xx < 4 I yy, buckling will occur about Xaxis.
In actual practice Ixx = 3to 3.5 times of Iyy for satisfactory results.
Consider,
Flange and web thickness of the section = t
Width of the section, B = 4t
Depth or height of the section, H = 5t
First find whether the section chosen is satisfactory or not.
Since
Ixx=3.2Iyy
Therefore the section chosen in quite satisfactory.

Consider the force on the connecting rod (FC) equal to the maximum force on the piston (FL) due to gas
pressure,
2
Fc =F L=
D
p max
4
Where D = Cylinder bore or piston diameter in mm

pmax = Maximum gas pressure in N/mm2
Buckling Load (WB) = FC x FOS
(FOS = 5 to 6)
The buckling of the rod about X-axis (assuming both ends hinged) and applying the Rankines formula.
A = Cross-sectional area of the connecting rod

l
=constant
r
c = Compressive yield stress
kxx = Radius of gyration of the section about Xaxis =
I xx
A
L = Length of the connecting rod = l

Stroke of Piston
r (cranck radius)=
2
WB = Buckling load
a = Constant = 1 / 7500 for mild steel
= 1 / 9000, for wrought iron
= 1 / 1600, for cast iron
Find thickness (t) in mm

MIDDLE SECTION
NEAR BIG END
NEAR SMALL END
B = 4t
B1 = 4t
B2 = 4t
H=5t
H1= 0.75H to 0.9H
H2 = 1.1H to 1.25H
2. DIMENSIONS OF THE CRANKPIN AT THE BIG END AND THE PISTON PIN AT THE SMALL
END
The allowable bearing pressure on the crankpin (pbc)may be taken as 7 N/mm2 to 12.5 N/mm2
The piston pin bearing (pbp) is usually a phosphor bronze bush of about 3 mm thickness and the allowable
bearing pressure may be taken as 10.5 N/mm2 to 15 N/mm2.
Consider the force on the connecting rod (FC) equal to the maximum force on the piston (FL) due to gas
pressure,
Fc =F L=
D2
p max
4
Where D = Cylinder bore or piston diameter in mm, and pmax = Maximum gas pressure in N/mm2
dc = Diameter of the crank pin in mm
lc = Length of the crank pin in mm
pbc = Allowable bearing pressure in N/mm2
d p, lp and pbp = Corresponding values for the piston pin,
FL = dc x lc x pbc
Taking lc = 1.25 dc to 1.5 dc
FL = dp x lp x pbp
Taking lp = 1.5 dp to 2 dp
3. SIZE OF BOLTS FOR SECURING THE BIG END CAP
The bolts and the big end cap are subjected to tensile force which corresponds to the inertia force of the
reciprocating parts at the top dead centre on the exhaust stroke.
At the top dead centre, the angle of inclination of the crank with the line of stroke, = 0
Where mR = Mass of the reciprocating parts in kg

= Angular speed of the engine in rad / s
r = Radius of the crank in metres

l = Length of the connecting rod in metres
The bolts are under repeated stresses but not alternating stresses, therefore, a factor of safety may be taken
as 6.
dcb = Core diameter of the bolt in mm
t = Allowable tensile stress for the material of the bolts in MPa
nb = Number of bolts = 2
From this expression, dcb is obtained.
4. THICKNESS OF THE BIG END CAP

The thickness of the big end cap (tc) may be determined by treating the cap as a beam freely supported at the
cap bolt centres and loaded by the inertia force at the top dead centre on the exhaust stroke (i.e. FI when =
0).
M c=
F I x
6
Where x = Distance between the bolt centres. = Dia. of crankpin or big end bearing (dc ) + 2 Thickness of
bearing liner (3 mm) + Clearance (3 mm)
Let bc = Width of the cap in mm=lc
b = Allowable bending stress for the material of the cap in MPa.
b ct 2c
Z c=
6
Bending stress
b=
Mc
Zc
From this expression, the value of tc is obtained.

Design of Connecting Rod

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Design of Connecting Rod

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DESIGN OF CONNECTING ROD

1. DIMENSIONS OF CROSS-SECTION OF THE CONNECTING ROD

Therefore the section chosen in quite satisfactory.

Where D = Cylinder bore or piston diameter in mm

A = Cross-sectional area of the connecting rod

L = Length of the connecting rod = l

Find thickness (t) in mm

Where mR = Mass of the reciprocating parts in kg

r = Radius of the crank in metres

From this expression, dcb is obtained.

4. THICKNESS OF THE BIG END CAP

From this expression, the value of tc is obtained.

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