Analysis of Vibration Characteristics of Transport Utility Vehicle by Finite Element Method

Present work deals with the design and analysis vibration characteristics for transport utility vehicle. The transport utility vehicle is designed using automotive industry standards. The dynamic behaviour of vehicle depends on the selection of overall dimensions, wheel base, track width, overall height and width that are decided using central motor vehicle rules. The selected dimensions for vertical and horizontal pillar members of the transport bus are modified to enhance the strength, stiffness and stability of the superstructure during travel. This increased stability enhances the ride comfort and passenger safety. Analysing the effect of utilizing manual meshing in complex areas of a transport utility vehicle for vibration analysis and passenger ride comfort has also been carried out. Modal analysis to evaluate the dynamic behaviour of transport utility vehicle model is also carried. Further with the use of finite element analysis deflection vehicle structure is evaluated. The outcomes from the analysis are compared with the behaviour of chassis mounted platform in dynamic conditions and are found in close correlation. The vehicle structure behaves as a single entity in dynamic situations, so surface model is prepared. Element selection for the finite element analysis is carried by considering plane stress condition. Two-dimensional quadrilateral shell elements are extensively used for meshing of the computer model of the vehicle structure. Complex areas in the optimised vehicle structure are meshed using relevant combination of quads and trias. The values of vector sum displacement and frequencies are found to be in good agreement with the experimental ones.