Light Truck Frame Joint Stiffness Study Phase 1 Final Report

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
Defining the Joints
The joint definition incorporated the ideas of keeping the distance from the end plate to the center of the
joint at a length long enough to minimize the effect of end conditions (Chiew, 1996) and small enough to
minimize the influence of the surrounding structure (Rao, et al., 1983). The joint dimensions were defined
to contain all unique characteristics of the joint and minimize the inclusion of the surrounding structure. An
experiment was performed to understand the effects of sidebar and crossmember length. Four different
lengths of crossmember and side member were simulated. Plots of stiffness and crossmember length of
approximately 150mm gave maximum member deflection while not affecting the deflected shape of the
joint. All joints were simulated and physical tests were performed with specimens cut 150mm from the
edge of the joint. These dimensions are shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Joint Definition, Length of Structure Surrounding the Joint
Report: A/SP-005-1 Light Truck Frame Joint Stiffness Study 12