Abstract
Abstract. Because of the continuous evolution of the market in terms of quality and performance, the car production industry is being subjected to more and more pressing technological challenges. In this framework the use of an advanced measurement technique such as thermoelasticity allows the engineers to have a fast and reliable tool for experimental investigation, optimization and validation of the finite element method (FEM) of those critical parts, such as parts of car-frame tables (Marsili and Garinei, 2013; Ju et al., 1997). In this work it is shown how the thermoelastic measurement technique can be used to optimize a Ferrari car frame, as a method of experimental investigation and as a technique of validation of numerical models.The measurement technique developed for this purpose is described together with the calibration method used in the test benches normally used for fatigue testing and qualification of this car's components. The results obtained show a very good agreement with FEM models and also the possibility of experimentally identifying the concentration levels of stress in critical parts with a very high spatial resolution and testing the effective geometry and material structure.
Highlights
In order to characterize a car frame, we propose a new measurement technique, and we have designed and realized a test bench to reproduce the real conditions of the use of the car
The complex frame structure and the presence of notches and of weldings cause sudden fatigue fractures for the strain concentrations not always foreseen by the finite element method (FEM) model (Tomlinson and John, 2015; Brouckaert et al, 2012; Becchetti et al, 2010)
In this work a Ferrari car frame has been characterized from the mechanical point of view to single out the areas with higher concentrations of stress
Summary
In order to characterize a car frame, we propose a new measurement technique, and we have designed and realized a test bench to reproduce the real conditions of the use of the car. For the safety coefficient growth, it is not possible to increase the material sections indiscriminately. In this way, the car would be heavier and its performance on the road would decrease. The second step regards their experimental validation by using strain gauge techniques and accelerometers. This technique furnishes local information only on discrete points. The thermoelastic measurement technique has been used to validate the FEM models in terms of stress distribution The advantage of this technique is to determine, on the experimental bench, in very low time, the qualitative and quantitative stress distribution on all the car frames
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