UWE Bristol Engineering showcase 2015
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Robert Crook<br />
BEng Motorsport <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Analysing and Optimising the Performance of Rally Car Suspension, for<br />
Varying Road Surfaces<br />
To be able to investigate the suspension system on<br />
a 1989 Volkswagen Golf one had to be measured<br />
in order to be able to create a software model.<br />
Measurements were taken from the DreamTec<br />
Racing 1989 Volkswagen Golf 16V GTi race car.<br />
Creating a math model of the Golf in CarSim is not a<br />
complex as it would be in some programs as you do not have<br />
to draw the whole suspension system. It is a case of finding<br />
which points/dimensions you need and entering them into<br />
the software. Once modelled simulations could be run and<br />
data is obtained which is transformed into graphs then these<br />
were analysed to find the best geometries.<br />
To accurately represent the dimensions of every component within<br />
a 1989 Volkswagen Golfs suspension system a drawing was created<br />
in Solidworks.<br />
Some of these results were to be expected, some were slightly<br />
different to what was expected. Most of the tarmac optimization<br />
results were as expected, due to the nature of the Golf being front<br />
wheel drive. The gravel results were to be expected as when<br />
observing physical rally cars they have much the same geometries<br />
in regard to Camber, Toe and Ride Height. This is also the case for<br />
rally cars running a Snow set-up. The caster angle was predicted to<br />
be as extreme as possible as when looking at current WRC cars the<br />
caster angles are as extreme as 20°-30°. But the with the nature of a<br />
1989 Volkswagen Golf’s engine bay no more caster can be applied<br />
due to space issues and without major modification and fabrication.<br />
Project Supervisor:<br />
Dr Rohitha Weerasinghe<br />
Project summary<br />
This study will look into rally car suspension,<br />
specifically what it should be doing and how it<br />
can be optimised. This will be looked at across<br />
three different surfaces, asphalt, gravel and<br />
snow.<br />
Project Objectives<br />
To analyse and optimise a rally car suspension<br />
set up, also to give a good understanding and<br />
accurate description of what rally car<br />
suspension should do and how to do it.<br />
• Identify the key suspension parameters that<br />
influence rally car handling.<br />
• Investigate the levels of adjustment needed<br />
in the system.<br />
• Show the difference changes in these<br />
parameters make to a rally car suspension<br />
system.<br />
• Optimise a rally car suspension system for<br />
different surfaces.<br />
• Propose any modifications that could be<br />
made to the overall suspension system that<br />
could improve the handling further.<br />
Project Conclusion<br />
Overall the investigation has gone well; three<br />
optimum set-ups for the car have been found<br />
for three surfaces. This was the main aim of<br />
the project. It has been found though that the<br />
car does still have the tendency to understeer<br />
but has been dialled out as much as possible<br />
within the simulation limits.
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