DEPARTMENT: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE #: EML 4930-TBA, 3 credits COURSE TITLE:   Vehicle Design
TYPE COURSE: Technical Elective
Dynamics and Controls Track
 TERM(S) OFFERED:  Fall/Spring 2008
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
This is an introductory course in vehicle design concentrating primarily on vehicle dynamics. In particular it examines the primary features of vehicle design that relate to performance: suspension, steering, chassis, and tires. It uses the latest in industry standard software to examine the various design parameters influencing vehicle performance and handling.		 PREREQUISITES:
EML3014C Dynamic Systems II, EML3018C Mechanical Systems II
AREA COORDINATOR:  Dr. P. Hollis
RESPONSIBLE FACULTY:  Dr. P. Hollis
INSTRUCTOR OF RECORD:
Dr. P. Hollis
Rm. 232 Bldg CEB A
410-6319
hollis@eng.fsu.edu


DATE OF PREPARATION: 06/20/08 DAC
 CLASS SCHEDULE:
three days a week for 50 minutes

LABORATORY SCHEDULE: The lab times will be announced throughout the semester.

TEXTBOOKS/REQUIRED MATERIAL:
  1. Milliken, W. F., Milliken, D. L., and Metz, L. D., Race Car Vehicle Dynamics, SAE

References:

  1. Wong, J. Y., Theory of Ground Vehicles, Wiley
  2. Gillespie, T. D., Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, SAE
  3. Dixon, J. C., Tires, Suspension and Handling, SAE
 SCIENCE/DESIGN (%): 85% / 15%

CONTRIBUTION TO MEETING THE PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT:
85% engineering science
15% engineering design of vehicle systems
COURSE TOPICS: The topics to be covered includes (not necessarily in the order shown)
  1. Acceleration Performance
  2. Braking Performance
  3. Road Loads
  4. Ride
  5. Steady State Stability and Control
  6. Transient Stability and Control
  7. Suspensions
  8. Steering
  9. Tires
  10. Adams Software for Vehicle Design and Simulation
ASSESSMENT TOOLS:
  1. Weekly homework assignments
  2. In-class presentations
  3. Group and individual project reports
  4. 1 midterm test and 1 final examination
COURSE OBJECTIVES* (Numbers shown in brackets refer to department educational outcomes - Please ask Dr. Shih to check these numbers)

The objective of this course is to produce a student capable of designing and analyzing the handling characteristics of simple vehicles. The student should be able to synthesize a reasonable solution to a given design problem, analyze the proposed solution, and judge its suitability.

  1. To introduce the important aspects of tires and their effects on vehicle performance [1, 3, 5, 10]
  2. To introduce steady state stability and control aspects of vehicle handling [1, 3, 5, 10]
  3. To introduce transient stability and control aspects of vehicle handling [1, 3, 5, 10]
  4. To introduce suspension geometry and how it influences behavior [1, 3, 5, 10]
  5. To introduce steering systems [1, 3, 5, 10]
  6. To examine the various effects that affect wheel loads [1, 3, 5, 10]
  7. To provide computational tools to assist in the design, modeling, and simulation of vehicle systems [1, 3, 5, 10]
COURSE OUTCOMES* *(Numbers shown in brackets are links to course objectives - check them out)
  1. Explain the various contributing factors to tire forces [1]
  2. Explain and find tire lateral forces given slip angles [1]
  3. Use a bicycle model to analyze neutral steer, understeer and oversteer [2]
  4. Calculate dynamic responses to simple inputs [3]
  5. Find the various instant centers in vehicle suspension systems [4]
  6. Explain the important geometric aspects of major suspension systems [4]
  7. Explain the geometry factors in a steering system [5]
  8. Calculate the loads that act on the wheels due to acceleration, braking and cornering [6]
  9. Use ADAMS to model vehicle behavior [7]

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