The success of any racing car hinges on three key factors: its speed, handling, and reliability. In a highly competitive environment where lap times are extremely tight, even slight variations in components can significantly affect performance and, consequently, lap times. At the heart of a race car's performance lies the upright—a critical component of its suspension system. The upright serves to link the suspension arms to the wheels, effectively transmitting steering and braking forces to the suspension setup. Achieving optimal performance requires finding the right balance between lightweight design and ample stiffness, crucial for maintaining precise steering geometry and overall vehicle dynamics, especially under intense loads.
Furthermore, there is a need to explore the system of structural optimization and seamlessly integrate Finite Element (FE) Models into the mathematical optimization process. This thesis explores a technique for parametric structural optimization utilizing finite element analysis and response surfaces to minimize the weight of the upright. Various constraints such as frequency, stress, displacement, and fatigue are taken into consideration during this optimization process.
A parametric finite element model of the upright was designed, along with the mathematical formulation of the optimization problem as a nonlinear programming problem, based on the design objectives and suspension geometry. By conducting parameter sensitivity analysis, three design variables were chosen from a pool of five, and response surfaces were constructed to represent the constraints and objective function to be used to solve the optimization problem using Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP).
To streamline the process of parameter sensitivity analysis and response surface development, a Python scripting procedure was employed to automate the finite element job analysis and results extraction. The optimized upright design resulted in overall weight reduction of 25.3% from the maximum weight design of the parameterized upright. / Master of Science / The success of any racing car depends on three key factors: its speed, handling and reliability. In a highly competitive environment where lap times are extremely tight, even slight variations in components can significantly affect performance and consequently, lap times. At the heart of a race car's performance lies the upright—a critical component of its suspension system. The upright serves to link the suspension arms to the wheels, effectively transmitting steering and braking forces to the suspension setup. To achieve the best performance, upright must be as light as possible but it needs to be strong enough to ensure that the car is predictable when turning in a corner or while braking.
Additionally, there is a need to explore methods of structural optimization and integrate finite element analysis seamlessly into the optimization process. Finite element analysis (FEA) is the use of part models, simulations, and calculations to predict and understand how an object might behave under certain physical conditions. This thesis examines a technique for optimizing the upright by designing it with numerous adjustable features for testing and then utilizing response surfaces to minimize its weight. Throughout this process, factors such as vibration, stress, deformation, and fatigue are carefully considered.
A detailed parametric finite element model of the upright was developed, alongside the formulation of the optimization problem as a nonlinear programming problem, based on the objectives of the design and the geometry of the suspension. Through rigorous testing of parameters for optimization potential, design variables are selected for optimization. Response surfaces were then constructed to represent the constraints and objective function necessary to solve the optimization problem using Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP).
To enhance the efficiency of this process, a Python script was created to handle specific tasks within the finite element solver. This automation streamlined the analysis of the finite element model and the extraction of results. Ultimately, the optimized design of the upright yielded a 25.3% reduction in weight compared to its maximum weight configuration.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119332 |
| Date | 06 June 2024 |
| Creators | Kaisare, Shubhankar Sudesh |
| Contributors | Mechanical Engineering, West, Robert L., Acar, Pinar, Canfield, Robert Arthur |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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