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Abstract Automotive subframe is a critical chassis component as it connects with the suspension, drive units, and vehicle body. All the vibration from the uneven road profile and drive units are passed through the subframe to the vehicle body. OEMs usually have specific component-level drive point dynamic stiffness (DPDS) requirements for subframe suppliers to achieve their full vehicle NVH goals. Traditionally, the DPDS improvement for subframes welded with multiple stamping pieces is done by thickness and shape optimization. The thickness optimization usually ends up with a huge mass penalty since the stamping panel thickness has to be changed uniformly not locally. Structure shape and section changes normally only work for small improvements due to the layout limitations. Tuned rubber mass damper (TRMD) has been widely used in the automotive industry to improve the vehicle NVH performance thanks to the minimum mass it adds to the original structure.

Abstract Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are expected to have a great impact on mobility by decreasing commute time and vehicle fuel consumption and increasing safety significantly. However, there are still issues that can jeopardize their wide impact and their acceptance by the public. One of the main limitations is motion sickness (MS). Hence, the last year’s research is focusing on improving motion comfort within AVs. On one hand, users are expected to perceive AVs driving style as more aggressive, as it might result in excessive head and body motion. Therefore, speed reduction should be considered as a countermeasure of MS mitigation. On the other hand, the excessive reduction of speed can have a negative impact on traffic. At the same time, the user’s dissatisfaction, i.e., acceptance and subjective comfort, will increase due to a longer journey time.

Abstract With the introduction of advanced lightweight materials with complex microstructures and behaviors, more focus is put on the accurate determination of their forming limits, and that can only be possible through experiments as the conventional theoretical models for the forming limit curve (FLC) prediction fail to perform. Despite that, CAE engineers, designers, and toolmakers still rely heavily on theoretical models due to the steep costs associated with formability testing, including mechanical setup, a large number of tests, and the cost of a stereo digital image correlation (DIC) system. The international standard ISO 12004-2:2021 recommends using a stereo DIC system for formability testing since two-dimensional (2D) DIC systems are considered incapable of producing reliable strains due to errors associated with out-of-plane motion and deformation.

Abstract Active suspension was a topic of great research interest near the end of last century. Ultimately broad bandwidth active systems were found to be too expensive in terms of both energy and financial cost. This past work, developing the ultimate vehicle suspension, has relevance for today’s vehicle designers working on more efficient and effective suspension systems for practical vehicles. From a control theorist’s perspective, it provides an interesting case study in the use of “practical” knowledge to allow “better” performance than predicted by theoretically optimal linear controllers. A brief history of active suspension will be introduced. Peter Wright, David Williams, and others at Lotus developed their Lotus modal control concept. In a parallel effort, Dean Karnopp presented the notion of inertial (Skyhook) damping. These concepts will be compared, the combination of these two distinctly different efforts will be discussed, and eventual vehicle results presented.

Abstract This study proposes three different models, the negative stiffness structure (NSS), damping structure (DS), and a combination of NSS and DS (NSDS), for the traditional seat suspension (TSS) of the vibratory roller to improve the driver’s ride comfort. A dynamic model of the vibratory roller established under the condition of the vehicle working on an elastoplastic soil with poor terrain surface is used to assess the performance of the NSS, DS, and NSDS. The sensitivity effect of the design parameters of the NSS, DS, and NSDS on their isolation efficiency is analyzed using the indexes of the root mean square (RMS) of the driver’s seat displacement (zws ) and acceleration (aws ). The design parameters of the NSS, DS, and NSDS are then optimized based on the multi-objective optimization method to fully evaluate their isolation efficiency. Finally, the experimental study is carried out on the vibratory roller to verify the research results.

Abstract New analytical structural stress solutions for a rigid inclusion in a finite square thin plate with clamping edges under opening loading conditions are developed. The new solutions are used to derive new analytical structural stress and stress intensity factor solutions for similar and dissimilar spot welds in cross-tension specimens. Three-dimensional finite element analyses are conducted to obtain the stress intensity factor solutions for similar spot welds and dissimilar magnesium/steel spot welds in cross-tension specimens of equal thickness with different ratios of half-specimen width-to-weld radius. A comparison of the analytical and computational solutions indicates that the analytical stress intensity factor solutions for similar spot welds in cross-tension specimens of equal thickness are accurate for large ratios of half-specimen width-to-weld radius.

Abstract Based on the thermodynamic theory and the model of the air suspension system (ASS), two different calculation methods including Method I, using ASS’s initial parameters to calculate the mass flow rate and the total stiffness of the ASS, and Method II, using ASS’s initial parameters to determine the static stiffness, elastic stiffness, and damping coefficient of the ASS, are researched. To assess the accuracy of each calculation method and the ASS’s performance, a quarter-vehicle dynamic model equipped with the ASS and the steel spring is simulated and analyzed under the different excitations of the harmonic and random road surfaces. Experimental investigations are also used to verify the accuracy of the models. The research shows that the computation results of the two calculation methods I and II are similar under the same simulation conditions.

Abstract In automotive, the use of heavy structure leads to high consumptions of fuel and resulting high exhaust (CO2) emissions. To curb this problem, nowadays, the conventional steel used for years in automotive structures is currently replaced with other different lightweight materials such as aluminum, magnesium, glass fiber-reinforced polymer, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, titanium, and so on. On the other hand, compared to the known steel properties and performances, these lightweight materials offer challenging issues related to life cycle, recycling, cost, and manufacturing. But, more than sometimes, reaching the same levels of performances with materials different from steel presents huge difficulties. This represents the cause of researching strategies and techniques to optimize the material distribution and the performances of a component, saving material and consequently reducing weight.

Abstract The basic optimal design of automotive suspensions with an additional spring in series with the damper is proposed. Unaddressed analytical expressions are derived for early design. A linear quarter-car model excited by a random road profile is considered. Multi-objective optimization (MOO) of the suspension performance is worked out analytically. Three analytical objective functions, namely, discomfort, road holding, and working space are derived and validated. Suspension spring stiffness, damping coefficient, and additional spring stiffness are considered as the design variables. The analytical optimization of three objective functions depending on three parameters has never been proposed in the literature, in reference to suspension systems. A quick selection of optimal suspension parameters is possible by using the analytical formulae of the Pareto-optimal set given in this article.

Abstract In this article performance of the innovative Crank-Lever Electromagnetic Damper (CLEMD) for an off-road vehicle suspension system is analyzed. To determine the characteristic behavior of the CLEMD, the damping force it provides on the suspension system is varied by changing the values of the damping coefficient in the simulations. Various parameters considered in the analyses include power regenerated, voltage, current, comfort, road-holding, etc. The behavior of all the parameters of the CLEMD is observed for an off-road vehicle by carrying out simulations on country roads since the off-road vehicles are subjected to higher road irregularities and hence provide an opportunity to regenerate a higher amount of power. A two-dimensional (2-D) model of a vehicle developed in SimMechanics is interfaced with a Simulink model of CLEMDs for the analyses.

Abstract The purpose of this article is to study the antifriction and anti-wear effect of GCr15 bearing steel under paraffin base oil and the base oil with two additives of T405 sulfurized olefin and nano-MoS2 and compare the synergistic lubrication effect of two different additives (MoS2 and T405) in paraffin base oil. The tribological properties of GCr15 bearing steel under different lubrication conditions were tested on a ball-on-disk tribometer. The three-dimensional profile of disk’s worn surfaces and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of corresponding steel balls were analyzed at the same time. The wettability of lubricating oils on the surface of friction pairs and the dispersibility of MoS2 in base oil were characterized.

Abstract This study proposes two isolation models of the negative stiffness structure (NSS) using the air spring (NSS-AS) and the tuned mass damper (NSS-4) to improve the ride comfort of electric vehicles (EV). The dynamic models of the EV and the driver body are established under the vibration excitations of the in-wheel motor (IWM) and random road surface. Based on the root-mean-square acceleration of the driver’s head (aw1), the seat suspension models equipped with the NSS-AS and NSS-4 are simulated to evaluate their isolation performance in improving the EV ride comfort under various conditions. The research results show that when the EV is moving on the road surface of ISO level A at a speed of 20 m/s, both NSS-AS and NSS-4 added into the seat suspension can better improve the driver’s ride comfort in comparison to that without NSS. Especially, the aw1 with the NSS-AS is decreased by 18.7% in comparison with the NSS-4.

Abstract Reducing a vehicle’s weight is an efficient method to reduce energy consumption. Aluminum alloy is the best material for lightweight automobiles. However, the poor formability of aluminum means that it is difficult to develop stamping dies. This study designs a suitable forming tool for aluminum fenders. A simulation and an experiment are used to analyze the formability of aluminum fenders. A theoretical calculation, experimental testing, and sampling comparison are used to verify the design. The material properties of steel and aluminum are firstly studied and compared. The results show that a traditional S-type blank die face design is not suitable for aluminum because of its low tensile strength and the potential for elongation. A relatively flat trapezoid blank die face design is proposed to smooth the variation. However, a flat die face for a trapezoidal blank limits stretching, so another design is essential to improve the formability.

Abstract Ground vibration testing (GVT) is an important phase of the development, or the structural modification of an aircraft program. The modes of vibration and their associated parameters extracted from the GVT are used to modify the structural model of the aircraft to make more reliable dynamics predictions to satisfy certification authorities. Due to the high cost and the extensive preparations for such tests, a new method of vibration testing called taxi vibration testing (TVT) rooted in operational modal analysis (OMA) was recently proposed and investigated by the German Institute for Aerospace Research (DLR) as alternative to conventional GVT. In this investigation, a computational framework based on fully coupled flexible multibody dynamics for TVT is presented to further investigate the applicability of the TVT to flexible airframes. The time domain decomposition (TDD) method for OMA was used to postprocess the response of the airframe during a TVT.

Abstract A precise knowledge of the road profile ahead of the vehicle is required to successfully engage a proactive suspension control system. If this profile information is generated by preceding vehicles and stored on a server, the challenge that arises is to accurately determine one’s own position on the server profile. This article presents a localization method based on a particle filter that uses the profile observed by the vehicle to generate an estimated longitudinal position relative to the reference profile on the server. We tested the proposed algorithm on a quarter vehicle test rig using real sensor data and different road profiles originating from various types of roads. In these tests, a mean absolute position error of around 1 cm could be achieved. In addition, the algorithm proved to be robust against local disturbances, added noise, and inaccurate vehicle speed measurements.

Abstract The air suspension system of heavy trucks not only improves the vehicle’s ride comfort but also reduces the negative impact on the road surface. In order to evaluate the performance of the control damping (CD) and the control air spring (CAS) of the vehicle air suspension system on the ride comfort and the road friendliness, a three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear dynamic model with 14 degrees of freedom (DOF) of the heavy trucks and optimal fuzzy control (OFC) with control rules optimized by the genetic algorithm (GA) are proposed in this study. The root mean square (RMS) acceleration response of the tractor and the dynamic load coefficient (DLC) at the wheel axles are chosen as objective functions under the various operating conditions. Contrastive analysis of the RMS and DLC values with the passive (P), CD, and CAS methods of the air suspension system is carried out respectively.

Abstract Taking the semi-active suspension system as the research object, the forward model and inverse model of a continuous damping control (CDC) damper are established based on the characteristic test of the CDC damper. A multi-mode semi-active suspension controller is designed to meet the diverse requirements of vehicle performance under different road conditions. The controller parameters of each mode are determined using a genetic algorithm. In order to achieve automatic switching of the controller modes under different road conditions, a method is proposed to identify the road roughness based on the sprung mass acceleration. The average of the ratio between the squared sprung mass acceleration and the vehicle speed within a specific time window is taken as the identification indicator for road roughness.

Abstract This article proposes a novel approach to reduce the destabilizing impacts of the shifted loads of heavy trucks (due to improper loading or liquid slosh) by pneumatic suspension design. In this regard, the pneumatically balanced suspension with dual leveling valves is introduced, and its potential for the improvement of the body imbalance due to the shifted load is determined. The analysis is based on a multi-domain model that couples the suspension fluid dynamics, shifted-load impacts, and tractor-semitrailer dynamics. Truck dynamics is simulated using TruckSim, which is integrated with the pneumatic suspension model developed in AMESim. This yields a reasonable prediction of the effect of the suspension airflow dynamics on vehicle dynamics. Moreover, the ability of the pneumatic suspension to counteract the effects of two general shifted loads - static (rigid cargo) and dynamic (liquid) - is studied.

Abstract An effective damper is among the most important components of the suspension system. It ensures the right amount of damping force is acting on the suspension system to provide comfort to the passengers and proper road holding to tires. Unfortunately, the energy absorbed by the dampers from the suspension system gets wasted in the form of heat. In this article, it is proposed to use innovative electromagnetic damper (EMD) with a crank-lever mechanism to recover energy from the suspension system. The goal is to develop a lightweight design of EMD that can recover a high amount of power. For the design, an off-road vehicle is used since in off-road vehicles the amount of power wasted in the suspension system is high. Three different design approaches are used, which include single-stage gearbox type, two-stage gearbox type, and three-stage gearbox type of CLEMD.

Abstract With increased consumer demand for fuel efficient vehicles as well as more stringent greenhouse gas regulations and/or Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards from governments around the globe, the automotive industry, including the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and suppliers, is working diligently to innovate in all areas of vehicle design. In addition to improving aerodynamics, enhancing internal combustion engines and transmission technologies, and developing alternative fuel vehicles, mass reduction has been identified as an important strategy in future vehicle development. In this article, the development, analysis, and experiment of multi-cornered structures are presented. To achieve mass reduction, two non-traditional multi-cornered structures, with twelve- and sixteen-cornered cross-sections, were developed separately by using computer simulations.