Title: The effect of local details on the stiffness of car body joints

Authors: P.W. Sharman, A. Al-Hammoud

Addresses: Department of Transport Technology, University of Technology, Loughborough, LEU 3TU, UK. ' Department of Transport Technology, University of Technology, Loughborough, LEU 3TU, UK

Abstract: Three joints between the structural members meeting the roof of a small car were tested for stiffners in the plane of the side frame. Minor modifications were made in a cumulative manner and the effect on stiffness was measured. A finite-element model was produced for one of the joints, and the stiffness was computed for 11 variations of the model. One case was correlated with experiment and found to be 13 per cent overstiff.

Keywords: joints; stiffness; finite element method; FEM; modelling; modifications; small cars; vehicle design; structural members; car roof.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1987.061216

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1987 Vol.8 No.4/5/6, pp.526 - 537

Published online: 25 May 2014 *

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