last modified 02/03/2006

Coursecode: wb3404A
Coursename: Vehicle Dynamics A

ECTS creditpoints: 3

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology

Lecturer(s): Vries, ir. E.J.H. de

Tel.: 015-27 81631

Catalog data:
Autommobile: truck, trailer, motorcycle, dynamics, vibrations, comfort, (non-)lineair, stability, frequency response, handling, crosswind, tyre.

Courseyear: MSc 1st year
Semester: 2A / 2B
Hours p/w: 2
Other hours: 4
Assessment: Oral
Assessm.period(s): By app.
(see academic calendar)

Prerequisites: -

Follow up: wb3404B, wb3404C

Detailed description of topics:
Basic elements of the dynamics of road vehicles (car, truck, motorcycle). Ride vibration response to road unevenness. Sine and stochastic roadprofile. Single, two and three mass/spring/damper systems. Linear and non-linear models. Vibrational modes and stability. Discomfort analysis. System identification. Roadholding: vehicle handling and stability. Response to stear input and side wind. Singel two-wheel vehicle model to discuss effects of tyres, inertia and geometry. Influence of several design variables: steering and wheel suspension, kinematics and compliance, toe angle, camber, roll axis, roll stabilizer, load transfer. Motorcycle stability and modal shapes (brief discussion of results)

Course material:
Lecture notes: Voertuigdynamica A

References from literature:
Mitschke, Wong, Gillespie, Newland.

Remarks (specific information about assesment, entry requirements, etc.):

Goals:
The student must be able to:

  1. quantify comfort and road holding: recognise the  paradox for optimal suspension design

  2. realize that linear models are approximations of reality in many aspects

  3. employ single mass and higher order models for vertical vibration analysis, and justify the choice for single d.o.f., quarter car or half car model

  4. implement the most common non linear elements in vehicle(models) and discover some analytical solution methods

  5. solve non-Linear problems with numerical integration routines

  6. apply Lagrange method to derive equations of motion

  7. analyze driving stability in the horizontal plane using Hurwitz criterion

  8. characterize vehicle handling in terms of under- and oversteer, apply critical and characteristic velocity on the vehicle behaviour

  9. derive the single track model, linear and including elementary non-linear properties

Computer use:
In working out the problems the computer will be helpful.

Laboratory project(s):
About 10 problems (exercises) are requested to prepare at home.

Design content:
The effect of design parameters of wheel suspension and stearing system are discussed.

Percentage of design: 25%