Finite Element (FE) post-processing for the rapid identification and visualisation of non-redundant structural failure modes and locations in global vehicle design

Additionally, envelopes will enable definition of the critical (non-redundant) and redundant structural failure modes for each feature considered, e.g. material yielding, buckling or fatigue. The methods presented in this research have shown that structural performance envelopes can be developed in the global vehicle-level load space, that is, in terms of the longitudinal, lateral and vertical acceleration directions of the vehicle in question.

The method uses equations of failure to calculate the accelerations required to cause failure at iterative loading conditions in the global vehicle acceleration space. Alongside these structural performance envelopes, an applied loads envelope can be plotted in the same load space to allow a visual representation of the performance of the vehicle with respect to the loads it will experience in-service. This tool can be used to quantify the gap between the loads and performance envelope, in turn, identifying any areas of the vehicle’s structure that may be lightweighted, or that may fail during service.

This design tool provides a more rapid approach to structural design analysis, compared with current practices in the industry, which are very manual and laborious, mostly depending on engineering skill and judgement.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2027</i>.