Chapter 1Introduction

DefinitionChassis: All vehicle structures except body and engine

Chassis Components:Chassis BeamSteering SystemBraking SystemSuspension SystemTire and WheelDriveline (gearbox, propeller shaft, drive shaft)

Basic Vehicle Motions6 Basic Motions of a Vehicle:Roll MotionPitch MotionVertical MotionYaw MotionLateral MotionLongitudinal Motion

Vehicle Roll

Steering input from the driver or asymmetric road profile between left and right tires can cause the vehicle to roll

Excessive roll angle can cause the vehicle to rollover

Disadvantages of vehicle roll: reduces stability and safety, driver can loss control of the vehicle; and reduces passenger comfort

Vehicle Pitch Braking/throttle inputs from the driver or asymmetric road profile between front and rear tires can cause the vehicle to pitch

Disadvantages of vehicle pitch: reduces stability and safety, driver can loss control of the vehicle; and reduces passenger comfort

Vehicle YawYaw angle: the difference between the direction of vehicle forward speed with the direction of travel

Steering input from the driver, side wind force, asymmetric road friction can cause the vehicle to yaw

Vehicle Lateral Motion Vehicle will move laterally under steering input from the driver

Lateral Maneuvers: lane change, cornering, collision avoidance, etc.

Longitudinal Motion Throttle or braking inputs from the driver can cause the vehicle to move longitudinally

Longitudinal maneuver: accelerating or decelerating

Vertical Motion Vertical motion of the vehicle reduces vehicle comfort level

Road input, steering input, brake input and throttle input can cause the vehicle to move vertically

Body Center of Gravity

How to determine the location of the body center of gravity of a vehicle???