Simulation Analysis On Light-duty Truck Ride Comfort Based On Rigid-flexible Coupling

Ride performance analysis for vehicle is one important step duringdevelopment process. Ride comfort analyses based on virtual prototype make thedesign more reasonable before the sample vehicle is produced. Thus developmentcycle is shortened, and the production costs are decreased.Firstly, the background and the significance of the ride comfort analysis wereintroduced, and related theory and software were introduced too. Secondly, it takesa new-type light-duty truck as study object, cab and frame FEA models were builtwith FEA method, the related finite element modal analysis and modal testverification were made, and the available finite element model was got. Thirdly,front and rear axle model, suspension model, steering system model, rigid-bodymodel and rigid-flexible coupling model on the cab and the frame were built withvirtual prototype technology. Finally, the above models were assembledinto the vehicle rigid-body model and the rigid-flexible coupling model.Random road profile required by ride comfort simulation analysis was builtwith virtual prototype technology. According to the national standardGB/T4970-1996, the virtual full-vehicle models should be driven straightly, thetravel speed should from40km/h to80km/h with an interval of10km/h. Ridecomfort simulation analysis was finished to get the acceleration curves andacceleration PSD of the driver’s seat, influences about the elasticity of thecab and frame for the vehicle’s ride comfort were studied, and analysis andcomparison of the two models were finished.The result showed that speed and Stiffness of cab and frame have a large ofinfluences on the ride comfort, appropriately increasing the stiffness of thecab and frame can effectively improve the ride comfort. Finally, some reasonablerecommendations were provided for optimization of vehicle model, and also somereferences were provided to light-duty truck ride comfort according to the result.