Effect of Lightweight Design on Structural Dynamics and Energy Efficiency in Hydraulically Actuated Flexible Systems

Effect of Lightweight Design on Structural Dynamics and Energy Efficiency in Hydraulically Actuated Flexible Systems | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Method Article Effect of Lightweight Design on Structural Dynamics and Energy Efficiency in Hydraulically Actuated Flexible Systems Tirtha Gupta, Aleksi Härkönen, Dominik Walica, Qasim Khadim, Antti Ahola, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6567260/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Growing demands for environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and enhanced automation are reshaping the design of heavy machinery, particularly hydraulic systems. This study introduces a workflow for the lightweight and energy efficient design of hydraulically actuated flexible multibody systems. The component of interest, lift boom was manufactured from RAEX 640 steel, was optimized using Ultra-High Strength Steel (UHSS). The structural characteristics of default and optimized lift boom were compared through linear structural analysis, and the impact on the system's energy efficiency was evaluated through a simulated work cycle. This optimization achieved a 21.9% reduction in weight when only in-plane moment capacity was considered. However, the reduced cross-sectional geometry, resulted in a 67% increase in tip deflection and eigenfrequency analysis revealed a shift of the critical first bending mode frequency from 104.6 Hz to 67.5 Hz. Flexible multibody dynamic simulations, including hydraulic actuation modeling, confirmed improved energy efficiency by 4% during an extension and by 7% during retraction phase. While the weight reduction benefits were clear, the findings underscore the importance of carefully balancing weight savings with mechanical performance criteria to ensure safe and efficient operation. The proposed workflow not only addresses current challenges in lightweight design for hydraulically actuated systems but also establishes a foundation for real-time digital twin development, supportingthe evolution of smart, energy-efficient heavy machinery. Lightweight Structures Flexible Multibody Systems Finite Element Analysis Hydraulics Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6567260","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Method Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":469822741,"identity":"29b3b70c-a229-486a-8899-21df29ce036c","order_by":0,"name":"Tirtha Gupta","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACZjCCgg8MDDIMDIwPDuDTwcPMwNgM08w4AygAZBjg18KApIWZB6oFr7vs2XmfPy6oYbDbcLv/4GebisM8BgeYGQk4jN2wecYxhuQNdw4zS+ecAWthIKCFjbGZh40h2eBGMoN0bhtIC/8BIrT8A2th/m3ZRqwtvG0MdkAtbNKMRGk5zMY4m7dPIkHyzmEzy54z6TyShwloYe8/xvCZ55uNPd/txsc3flRYy/Edb2b+gE8LFEgkNkjA2Mz4FCIBewYJwopGwSgYBaNghAIAmXBByg6FWaQAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"University of Oulu","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tirtha","middleName":"","lastName":"Gupta","suffix":""},{"id":469822742,"identity":"9e63f97d-445e-4ba3-b2e0-f054b09ae194","order_by":1,"name":"Aleksi Härkönen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lappeenranta University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Aleksi","middleName":"","lastName":"Härkönen","suffix":""},{"id":469822743,"identity":"e7aad2ec-f912-4ab3-878b-6151570a88fd","order_by":2,"name":"Dominik Walica","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Oulu","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dominik","middleName":"","lastName":"Walica","suffix":""},{"id":469822745,"identity":"9ec18331-bf0e-47fd-b20a-f881de57defc","order_by":3,"name":"Qasim Khadim","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Oulu","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Qasim","middleName":"","lastName":"Khadim","suffix":""},{"id":469822746,"identity":"0a4c4499-918b-42ad-b7fd-fc5a772a6a5c","order_by":4,"name":"Antti Ahola","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lappeenranta University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Antti","middleName":"","lastName":"Ahola","suffix":""},{"id":469822748,"identity":"a5b416f6-d38b-4bf3-b660-2dc3642585f2","order_by":5,"name":"Emil Kurvinen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Oulu","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Emil","middleName":"","lastName":"Kurvinen","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-04-30 18:23:04","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6567260/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6567260/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":90892296,"identity":"a55f0f3b-f12e-4193-b296-64663e91afb0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-09 11:17:19","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":5047911,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"TirthaGuptaManuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6567260/v1_covered_8b11d89d-2fcc-4e6f-9090-342138ef4ec3.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Effect of Lightweight Design on Structural Dynamics and Energy Efficiency in Hydraulically Actuated Flexible Systems","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Lightweight Structures, Flexible Multibody Systems, Finite Element Analysis, Hydraulics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6567260/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6567260/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Growing demands for environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and enhanced automation are reshaping the design of heavy machinery, particularly hydraulic systems. This study introduces a workflow for the lightweight and energy efficient design of hydraulically actuated flexible multibody systems. The component of interest, lift boom was manufactured from RAEX 640 steel, was optimized using Ultra-High Strength Steel (UHSS). The structural characteristics of default and optimized lift boom were compared through linear structural analysis, and the impact on the system's energy efficiency was evaluated through a simulated work cycle. This optimization achieved a 21.9% reduction in weight when only in-plane moment capacity was considered. However, the reduced cross-sectional geometry, resulted in a 67% increase in tip deflection and eigenfrequency analysis revealed a shift of the critical first bending mode frequency from 104.6 Hz to 67.5 Hz. Flexible multibody dynamic simulations, including hydraulic actuation modeling, confirmed improved energy efficiency by 4% during an extension and by 7% during retraction phase. 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