Lecture on Vehicle Dynamics and Handling
Introduction
- Importance of tyres, vehicle dynamics, and handling in race car performance.
- Discussion with Blake from University of Canterbury Motorsport at Highlands Motorsport Park.
Designing a Race Car
Initial Considerations
- Start with extremities: track, wheelbase, tyre positioning, center of gravity.
- Consider track type: tight corners and high lateral acceleration for Formula Student competitions.
- Focus on roll centers, stiffness (roll/spring), and geometries (camber, caster, king pin inclination).
- Collaboration between chassis and powertrain teams.
Experience and Knowledge Transfer
- Building on previous years' experiences is crucial.
- Learning from past successes and mistakes.
Suspension Layout
- Use of double A-arm geometry for reliability and freedom in Formula Student.
- Considerations for 4WD electric vehicles: motor mount interferences and clearances.
- Importance of optimizing component placements.
Damper Systems
- Comparison between Ohlins spring shocks and air shocks.
- Air shocks for weight reduction and adjustability (high/low speed compression and rebound).
- Use of mountain bike shocks adapted for 4WD electric vehicles.
Instrumentation and Data Logging
- Use of linear potentiometers to record travel and loads.
- Electrically controlled brakes and accelerators with GPS, 6-axis gimble for data interpretation.
- Involvement of software engineers for real-time data analysis and validation.
Simulation and Validation
- Importance of simulation in the university setting: Ansys, MATLAB, Solidworks.
- Emphasis on validation in design using dynamic models (Adams Car software).
- Role of computer models in suspension geometry validation and aero testing.
Tyres and Their Role
- Critical role of tyres in car performance.
- Considerations for tyre selection: size, width, compound, brand, and their effect on dynamics.
- Use of tyre data consortium for simulation and modelling of tyre behavior.
Torque Vectoring
- Strategy for 4WD vehicles to optimize vertical force on tyres.
- Adjusting torque based on load distribution to prevent tyre slip and wear.
- Development of models for torque vectoring based on steering wheel angle and other factors.
Driver Feedback
- Importance of driver familiarity with torque vectoring to enhance performance.
- Iterative feedback process to refine torque vectoring strategies.
Conclusion
- Summary of the discussion on vehicle dynamics.
- Encouragement to subscribe for more content and information on upcoming live lessons.
Note: The lecture emphasized the integration of theory and practical applications in vehicle dynamics for enhancing race car performance.