FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF STRESS DISTRIBUTION AND DISPLACEMENT IN THE BOWDEN CABLE ASSEMBLY OF HAND-CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR DISABILITY-ADAPTED VEHICLES

Abstract

Background: Bowden cable assemblies are the primary force-transmission components in mechanical hand-control systems for disability-adapted vehicles. Their structural integrity under operational loading is critical to road safety, yet no finite element study of this component in an adaptive driving context has previously been reported. Objective: To characterise the Von Mises stress distribution, nodal displacement profile, and reaction force distribution along a Bowden cable assembly under static operational loading using three-dimensional FEA. Methods: A 240 mm helically stranded Bowden cable (St3sp steel; E = 210 GPa; σ_{_y} = 360 MPa) was modelled in Siemens NX. An axial tensile load of 120 N was applied at the free end; the opposite end was fully constrained. Elemental-nodal Von Mises stress, nodal displacement, and reaction force were extracted along the longitudinal cable path. Results: Maximum Von Mises stress was 242.01 MPa (min 63.08 MPa); safety factor n = 1.49. Along-path stress oscillated between 132 and 179 MPa, with peaks at inter-strand contact zones. Displacement decreased linearly from 0.223 mm to 0.010 mm (R² = 0.9997). Reaction forces were concentrated within the first 14 mm of anchorage (max 28.29 N). Fatigue safety factor (Goodman) was 1.82. Conclusion: The assembly is structurally adequate under maximum static loading. Identified inter-strand stress concentrations and anchorage reaction force localisation provide a quantitative basis for targeted design optimisation and adaptive vehicle component certification.