Study on the Effect of 3D Clearance of Torque Link Joint on Landing Gear Taxiing Shaking

After a long period of service, the joints in the landing gear of an aircraft may wear and cause a gradual increase in clearances. This ultimately results in shaking during ground taxiing, which can severely affect the pilots' normal operation and result in structural damage to the aircraft. This paper focuses on the landing gear taxiing shaking problem caused by the increase in the clearance of the joint of the torque link. Considering the motion characteristics of the landing gear, this study identifies the effect mechanism of the 3D clearance in the joint of the torque link on landing gear taxiing shaking. Through mathematical analysis, the effect relationship of the 3D clearance in the joint of the torque link on landing gear taxiing shaking is revealed for the first time. The study proposes a rotation joint model based on the LanKarani-Nikravesh (L-N) contact theory that accounts for 3D clearance. The effects of different clearance sizes and types on landing gear taxiing shaking are analyzed in combination with the landing gear taxiing shaking dynamics model. The proposed effect mechanism and effect relationship are verified by comparing the calculation results with the results obtained using the proposed expression. The conclusions of the study can provide important references for landing gear maintenance and the design of anti-shaking function.