Assignment Information

Module Name: 6058MAA/6060MAA

Module Code: Automotive/Motorsport Vehicle Dynamics and Aerodynamics

Assignment Title: Vehicle Dynamics Study

Assignment Due: 07/04/25 by 18:00

Assignment Credit: 10

Word Count (or equivalent): 2,000 words per student

Assignment Type: Written (Individual)

Percentage Grade (Applied Core Assessment). You will be provided with an overall grade between 0% and 100%. You have one opportunity to pass the assignment at or above 40%.

AssignmentTask

1. Objective

The objective of this study is to analyse the behaviour of a vehicle given to assess its underlying characteristics from a handling point of view.

2. Background

The requirement to understand vehicle behaviour is fundamental to creating a design that will ultimately make the market it is intended for want to buy the vehicle. As such understanding the inherent setup and behaviours of the car and its setup is vital to fulfilling this requirement. As such using standard manoeuvres and computer simulations along with fundamental calculations and assessing the responses, is a key skill to develop and undertake.

3. Tasks

There are two main tasks for this coursework.

●     Undertake a literature review of current technologies

●    Evaluate a  baseline setup of a vehicle and  use fundamental theory to evaluate the overall response of the vehicle

To undertake the assessment, the work has been broken down into the following sections that should be competed and written up in a technical report. The work should be conducted individually. The word limit should not exceed 2,000 words (this is for the main body of the report/work and does not include title page, contents page, appendices etc.). You are advised to ensure that you include all relevant figures and use references to support your discussion as required.

Details of Task

The sections to consider for the report should be as follows:

A. Literature review (20%)

Undertake a literature review into a system that will improve the handling performance of a vehicle. In 500 words, describe the operating principles of the system, the required hardware to realise the system and the vehicle dynamics benefits to the vehicle based on literature. References should be used to support discussion and highlight where information has been researched from.

B. Technical Review (70%)

Using the data provided, undertake a baseline assessment of the vehicle using the bicycle model (also referred to as the single track model) and then investigate a parameter change to determine its impact. This should be written as a technical appraisal in 1,500 words.

The car to be examined and its baseline parameters is:

Ford Fiesta

Overall mass (m) = 1149.0 kg

Overall wheelbase = 2.5 m

Distance from front axle to centre of mass (a) = 0.946

Distance from rear axle to centre of mass (b) = 1.554

Front Cornering Stiffness (Calpha Front) = -82,000 N/rad

Rear Cornering Stiffness (Calpha Rear) = -74,000 N/rad

Yaw Inertia (Izz) = 1636.0 kg.m2

i. Baseline Vehicle Response (40%)*

Using the data provided, examine the response of the vehicle considering steering input and vehicle speed changes and  how this affects the responses. Consider how the responses build up and the time this takes (look at week 3A slides in the vehicle dynamics section). Consideration to factors such as lateral acceleration, yaw rate response, front rear lateral force balance, slip angles for under/oversteer are some areas that can be considered.

ii. Parameter Investigation (30%)*

Using the same setup, explore the impact of weight distribution (i.e. the percentage of load over the front and rear axle) and cornering stiffness (base values have been given, assume the logic that doubling the cornering stiffness means the tyre is twice as wide) on the responses of the vehicle. Investigate the impact on the car and highlight which setup might cause concern or benefit to the overall characteristic of the vehicle.

* To undertake this assessment a 2 degree of freedom (DoF) bicycle model (as described in the vehicle dynamics session week 3A) has been given to use in Excel. The model uses a step input for the steering response to examine the transient change from zero steer input to a fixed steer output. Key responses such as the yaw rate and lateral acceleration have been given in the spreadsheet along with tyre lateral forces and slip angles. The vehicle will go into a circular path and its trajectory and heading can also be seen. These responses should be used to build up a picture of the impact of parameter change on the vehicle setup. It is imperative to explore the model and ask questions, the maximum lateral acceleration of the model should not exceed 0.4G (Ay max).

C. Presentation and References (10%)

The presentation of the report should be in a technical report format. References need to be used throughout to highlight source material and support discussion.

Submission Instructions:

The technical reports outline in the previous section must be submitted no later than the due date and by 18:00 UK time on that date via the module Aula page. Within the assessments tab on the Aula page a submission link will be provided where the reports must be uploaded in a word format.

Marking and Feedback

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked by the module team.

How will I receive my grades and feedback?

Provisional marks will be released once internally moderated.

Feedback will be provided by the module team alongside grades release.

[Course teams to add a statement detailing how students can access their feedback here].

Your provisional marks and feedback should be available within 2 weeks (10 working days (if there are any delays we will keep you informed).

What will I be marked against?

Details of the marking criteria for this task can be in the assignment task section.

Assessed Module Learning Outcomes

The Learning Outcomes for this module align to the marking criteria which can be found in the assessments section. Ensure you understand the marking criteria to ensure successful achievement of the assessment task. The following module learning outcomes are assessed in this task:

The main intended learning outcomes of this module are as follows and have been mapped to the IMechE (Institution of Mechanical Engineers):

1. Critically evaluate and appraise the scientific principles of fluid dynamics and the techniques used for external aerodynamics development and testing

2. Apply fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies. Extract data pertinent to an unfamiliar problem, and its solution, applying analytical methods or computer based engineering tools if appropriate

3. Demonstrate an understanding of engineering principles and the ability to apply them to analyse key engineering processes

4. Apply quantitative methods and computer software relevant to their engineering discipline, in order to solve engineering problems

5. Examine and utilise appropriately a systems approach to develop solutions to engineering problems

6. Demonstrate engineering workshop and laboratory skills with relation to vehicle and aerodynamics

This module covers the following AHEP learning outcomes from the IMechE: SM1b, SM2b, EA1b, EA2, EA3b, EA4b & P3