When driving a vehicle on the road, the driver has to compensate continuously for small directional deviations from the desired course due to disturbances such as crosswinds, road irregularities and unintended driver inputs. These types of deviations have a tiring effect on the driver and should therefore be minimised. When the magnitude of these disturbances increases, especially with crosswind, the directional deviation might become so large that the driver will have difficulties in compensating for it, and will thereby affect the traffic safety. The objective of this research work is to increase the understanding of the crosswind sensitivity of buses and to find solutions to the problem of improving the safety of buses with respect to crosswind performance. The work presented in this thesis contributes to increased knowledge about the directional stability of buses under the influence of crosswind gusts through parameter studies using detailed vehicle simulation models, through full-scale experiments and through studies of the effect of steering feel on the subjective and objective evaluation of crosswind performance. A natural crosswind gust model has been derived from wind tunnel measurements and implemented in a multi-body dynamics simulation tool. The aerodynamic loads of the crosswind gust model have been applied on a detailed vehicle model and the behaviour of the vehicle model has been studied for various vehicle configurations in both open- and closed-loop manoeuvres. The vehicle model, with parameters corresponding to real vehicle data, has been validated and the agreement with measurements is good. A method for estimating the aerodynamic loads on a bus due to crosswind on a road section is also presented. Aerodynamic loads under real conditions were estimated using this method and these data were thereafter used in a study where the effect of steering feel on the subjective and objective evaluation of crosswind performance was investigated using a moving-base driving simulator, with the aim of finding a relationship between steering feel and crosswind sensitivity. The thesis covers the influence of changing chassis-related parameters and aerodynamics-related parameters on the crosswind sensitivity, as well as the influence of the setting of the steering system on the crosswind performance of the driver-vehicle system. The results identify areas of high potential for improving the crosswind sensitivity of buses, such as the centre of gravity location and the yaw moment overshoot at gust entry. Furthermore, the study shows the importance of having a vehicle that facilitates prompt driver corrections for reducing the lateral deviation under crosswind excitation; i.e. it is shown that a steering system with the possibility of changing the yaw rate gradient referencing the steering-wheel input when the vehicle is subjected to a sudden crosswind has a good potential for improving the crosswind performance of the driver-vehicle system. / QC 20100722

Os sistemas que elevam os eixos dos veículos comerciais foram inicialmente desenvolvidos com o objetivo de economizar pneus. Até o final da década de 90, o uso destes sistemas era restrito, não causando um efeito estatístico sensível na segurança veicular. Devido a um acordo entre concessionárias rodoviárias e o governo, os veículos comerciais pagam nas praças de pedágio o valor correspondente ao número de eixos em contato com o solo naquele momento, minimizando as tarifas dos veículos que fazem uso deste sistema. Esta prática se difundiu rapidamente e poucos estudos técnicos foram realizados focando sua influência na segurança veicular. A elevação dos eixos altera de forma significativa a margem de estabilidade do veículo e a distribuição ideal das forças de frenagem, podendo elevar os riscos de acidentes. Este trabalho consiste num estudo aprofundado do desempenho dos veículos comerciais com estes sistemas de elevação de eixos, sob o ponto de vista técnico e operacional, focando a segurança veicular. Para tanto, são utilizados como metodologia modelos matemáticos já desenvolvidos na literatura científica em veículos exemplos. Parâmetros como a margem de estabilidade, gradiente de esterçamento, eficiência da frenagem dentre outros são analisados; também os efeitos na resposta direcional durante o período transitório em manobras e nos instantes iniciais da frenagem. As influências da elevação dos eixos são analisadas conforme normas e requisitos estabelecidos pela ABNT e ECE R13, inclusive anexo 10, pois a prática da elevação dos eixos pode estar infringindo requisitos impostos por estas normas. Como conclusão é visto que o levantamento dos eixos é prejudicial ao desempenho dinâmico do veículo. Em virtude disto, o seu uso deveria ser fundamentado tanto nas fases conceitual e de desenvolvimento quanto na legislação vigente no país. / The systems that elevate the axles of the commercial vehicles were initially developed with the objective of saving tires. The use of these systems was restricted, not causing a notable statistical effect in the vehicle safety. Due to an agreement between road concessionaires and the government, the commercial vehicles pay toll value according to the number of axles in contact with the soil on that moment, minimizing the taxes of the vehicles using this system. This practice was diffused quickly and few technical studies were accomplished focusing its influence in the vehicle safety. The elevated axles alters in a significant way the vehicle static margin of stability and the ideal distribution of the braking forces, increasing the accident risks. This work consist in deepened studies of the commercial vehicles with these systems of elevation of axles, of the technical and operational point of view, focusing the vehicle safety. For this is used as methodology mathematical models developed already in the scientific literature in vehicles examples. Parameters as the margin of stability, steer gradient, braking efficiency and others are analyzed. Likewise, the effects in the directional response during the transient maneuvers and in the initial instants of the braking. The influences of the elevation of the axes are analyzed according to norms and established requirements for ABNT and ECE R13, including annex 10, because the practice of the elevation of the axes can be infringing requirements imposed by these norms. As main conclusion these systems are prejudicial to vehicle dynamics and handling and its use could be anticipated in conceptual and design phase and in brazilian transport laws.

Os sistemas que elevam os eixos dos veículos comerciais foram inicialmente desenvolvidos com o objetivo de economizar pneus. Até o final da década de 90, o uso destes sistemas era restrito, não causando um efeito estatístico sensível na segurança veicular. Devido a um acordo entre concessionárias rodoviárias e o governo, os veículos comerciais pagam nas praças de pedágio o valor correspondente ao número de eixos em contato com o solo naquele momento, minimizando as tarifas dos veículos que fazem uso deste sistema. Esta prática se difundiu rapidamente e poucos estudos técnicos foram realizados focando sua influência na segurança veicular. A elevação dos eixos altera de forma significativa a margem de estabilidade do veículo e a distribuição ideal das forças de frenagem, podendo elevar os riscos de acidentes. Este trabalho consiste num estudo aprofundado do desempenho dos veículos comerciais com estes sistemas de elevação de eixos, sob o ponto de vista técnico e operacional, focando a segurança veicular. Para tanto, são utilizados como metodologia modelos matemáticos já desenvolvidos na literatura científica em veículos exemplos. Parâmetros como a margem de estabilidade, gradiente de esterçamento, eficiência da frenagem dentre outros são analisados; também os efeitos na resposta direcional durante o período transitório em manobras e nos instantes iniciais da frenagem. As influências da elevação dos eixos são analisadas conforme normas e requisitos estabelecidos pela ABNT e ECE R13, inclusive anexo 10, pois a prática da elevação dos eixos pode estar infringindo requisitos impostos por estas normas. Como conclusão é visto que o levantamento dos eixos é prejudicial ao desempenho dinâmico do veículo. Em virtude disto, o seu uso deveria ser fundamentado tanto nas fases conceitual e de desenvolvimento quanto na legislação vigente no país. / The systems that elevate the axles of the commercial vehicles were initially developed with the objective of saving tires. The use of these systems was restricted, not causing a notable statistical effect in the vehicle safety. Due to an agreement between road concessionaires and the government, the commercial vehicles pay toll value according to the number of axles in contact with the soil on that moment, minimizing the taxes of the vehicles using this system. This practice was diffused quickly and few technical studies were accomplished focusing its influence in the vehicle safety. The elevated axles alters in a significant way the vehicle static margin of stability and the ideal distribution of the braking forces, increasing the accident risks. This work consist in deepened studies of the commercial vehicles with these systems of elevation of axles, of the technical and operational point of view, focusing the vehicle safety. For this is used as methodology mathematical models developed already in the scientific literature in vehicles examples. Parameters as the margin of stability, steer gradient, braking efficiency and others are analyzed. Likewise, the effects in the directional response during the transient maneuvers and in the initial instants of the braking. The influences of the elevation of the axes are analyzed according to norms and established requirements for ABNT and ECE R13, including annex 10, because the practice of the elevation of the axes can be infringing requirements imposed by these norms. As main conclusion these systems are prejudicial to vehicle dynamics and handling and its use could be anticipated in conceptual and design phase and in brazilian transport laws.

This dissertation is to obtain an overall understanding of the crack path selection in adhesively bonded joints. Using Dow Chemical epoxy resin DER 331® with various levels of rubber concentration as an adhesive, and aluminum 6061-T6 alloy with different surface pretreatments as the adherends, both symmetric and asymmetric double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens are prepared and tested under mixed mode fracture conditions in this study. Post-failure analyses conducted on the failure surfaces indicate that the failure tends to be more interfacial as the mode II component in the fracture increases whereas more advanced surface preparation techniques can prevent failure at the interface. Through mechanically stretching the DCB specimens uniaxially until the adherends are plastically deformed, various levels of T-stress are achieved in the specimens. Test results of the specimens with various T-stresses demonstrate that the directional stability of cracks in adhesive bonds depends on the T-stress level. Cracks tend to be directionally stable when the T-stress is compressive whereas directionally unstable when the T-stress is tensile. However, the direction of crack propagation is mostly stabilized when more than 3% mode II fracture component is present in the loading regardless of the T-stress levels in the specimens. Since the fracture sequences in adhesive bonds are closely related to the energy balance in the system, an energy balance model is developed to predict the directional stability of cracks and the results are consistent with the experimental observations. Using the finite element method, the T-stress is shown to be closely related to the specimen geometry, indicating a specimen geometry dependence of the directional stability of cracks. This prediction is verified through testing DCB specimens with various adherend and adhesives thicknesses. By testing the specimens under both quasi-static and low-speed impact conditions, and using a high-speed camera to monitor the fracture sequence, the influences of the debond rate on the locus of failure and the directional stability of cracks are investigated. Post-failure analyses suggest that the failure tends to be more interfacial when the debond rate is low and tends to be more cohesive when the debond rate is high. However, this rate dependence of the locus of failure is greatly reduced when more advanced surface preparation techniques are used in preparing the specimens. The post-failure analyses also reveal that cracks tend to be more directionally unstable as the debond rate increases. Finally, employing interface mechanics and extending the criteria for the direction of crack propagation to adhesively bonded joints, the crack trajectories for directionally unstable cracks are predicted and the results are consistent with the overall features of the crack paths observed experimentally. / Ph. D.