Lightweight Hybrid Electrical Vehicle Structural Topology Optimisation Investigation Focusing on Crashworthiness

Christensen, Jesper; Bastien, Christophe; Blundell, Mike; Gittens, Andrew; Tomlin, Oliver

doi:10.4273/ijvss.3.2.06

Cited by 17 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The topology optimisation study also included investigation of the optimal centre of mass (CM) locations with respect to key HEV components such as battery packs, feasibility and practicality of the CM locations, as well as vehicle dynamics. Further information on the topology optimisation study can be found in [10], [14] and [15]. The proposed vehicle structure in Fig.…”

Section: Topology Optimisation Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lightweight Body in White Design Using Topology-, Shapeand Size Optimisation

Bastien

Christensen

Blundell

et al. 2012

WEVJ

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As focus on the world climate rises, so does the demand for ever more environmentally friendly technologies. The response from the automotive industry includes vehicles whose primary propulsion systems are not based upon fossil fuels. On this basis a Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project (LCVTP), partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), has been completed. The project included designing a lightweight Body In White (BIW), specifically tailored to suit the drive train and general packaging requirements associated with a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). The future opportunities for optimising the new lightweight vehicle architecture have been investigated using a technique entitled topology optimisation, which extracts the idealised load paths for a given set of load cases, followed by a shape-and size optimisation in order to provide local areas of the vehicle with more definition. An appropriate shape-and size optimisation process for frontal crashworthiness scenarios has been developed by comparing and combining different point selection methods and applying various metamodelling techniques.

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Section: Topology Optimisation Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lightweight Body in White Design Using Topology-, Shapeand Size Optimisation

Bastien

Christensen

Blundell

et al. 2012

WEVJ

Self Cite

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“…Within this load scenario, inertia relief is used to obtain the load equilibrium of the model [18]. Thus, the applied loads F and M are balanced by inertial accelerations that automatically provide forces distributed over the body in such a way that the sum of the applied forces is equal to zero.…”

Section: Front Wheel Brakementioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-objective optimisation of vehicle bodies made of FRP sandwich structures

Velea

Wennhage

Zenkert

2014

Composite Structures

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An optimisation methodology is developed and applied on a FRP sandwich body of an electric vehicle -ZBee, where single-objective and multi-objective optimisation studies are performed stepwise using a commercially available software package. The single-objective optimisation allows the identification of the load paths within the composite body, according to the loading conditions previously defined. Within the multi-objective optimisation, the optimum thickness and distribution for each of the layers that form the composite body are searched within the design space so as to obtain the best performance with respect to weight, material cost, global and local stiffness. Strength requirements are also considered as constraints within the optimisation. A conflict situation appears when several objectives are considered within the optimisation, meaning that an increased performance in one objective may often lead to a decreased performance for the others. Therefore, a trade-off between objectives is needed. The interpretation of results is partially made by using trade-off plots, the so-called Pareto frontiers. A method for the overall selection of the most beneficial solutions is proposed and applied in order to choose between the best obtained solutions according to the importance of the objectives.

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“…Creating loadcases representative of the crash scenarios and the maximum crash pulse obtained from the FE (crashworthiness) analyses of section 2, the topology optimisation could be completed. This utilised an isotropic material model and the Inertia Relief (IR) boundary conditions [7], [8], [9], [10] and [11] it was possible to extract suggestions for idealised loadpaths of the future Microcab vehicle as illustrated in Figure 25. From the optimisation results, Figure 25, it may be suggested that the front-end of the current Microcab concept design does not require any significant modifications.…”

Section: Future Topologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Lightweighting of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle whilst meeting urban accident criteria

Grimes

Bastien

Christensen

et al. 2013

2013 World Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition (EVS27)

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The aim of this paper is to assess the safety performance of a lightweight hydrogen fuel cell city concept vehicle entitled Microcab [1]. The Microcab is a lightweight 4 seat hydrogen fuel cell concept vehicle with a combined mass (excluding passengers) of less than 800kg. The Microcab has a range of 180 miles; it includes a hydrogen fuel tank pressurised to 350 bar. The research focuses on urban accident scenarios; including frontal, lateral and compatibility loadcases. All loadcases utilise urban speeds, i.e. speeds ranging up to 40km/h for frontal impacts. The crashworthiness of the Microcab has been analysed using explicit non-linear Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The study concludes that within the limitations of the material parameter definitions and mass distributions; the crashworthiness in connection with urban accident scenarios is good. This includes aspects such as vehicle compatibility loadcases and protection of the hydrogen fuel tank e.g. for intrusion. The outcome of the study also suggests structural refinements for the future Microcab final production model; with an aim of further improving the vehicles' crashworthiness. These refinements include raising the primary front crash structure to better align it with that of a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) as well as bracing the fuel cell area in case of a rear impact in order to better protect this vital component. It is also suggested that adhesive joints were suitable for structural crash integrity in all the loadcases studied within this paper, including low speed impact for repairability. A structural optimisation study has also been undertaken utilising Design Of Experiments (DOE), shapesize-and topology optimisation. DOE was employed to further improve the stiffness of the chassis with respect to safety, whilst minimising the mass increase. Topology optimisation models based on the maximum crash force magnitudes computed in the initial part of the study were also setup; the results of these suggested future changes to the Microcabs' floor layout could be utilised to further enhance the vehicles crashworthiness.

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Lightweight Hybrid Electrical Vehicle Structural Topology Optimisation Investigation Focusing on Crashworthiness

Cited by 17 publications

References 9 publications

Lightweight Body in White Design Using Topology-, Shapeand Size Optimisation

Lightweight Body in White Design Using Topology-, Shapeand Size Optimisation

Multi-objective optimisation of vehicle bodies made of FRP sandwich structures

Lightweighting of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle whilst meeting urban accident criteria

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