Bus RoIIover SimuIation using Body Sections in Radioss

Srinivasulu.T
Manager
Ashok Leyland Technical Center,
Vellivoyal Chavadi
Chennai-600 103, India

Abstract

With a vision of being in the global top five in bus segment, Ashok Leyland has been advancing exceptionally well in bus technology
for better performance, reliability and comfort. As of today, the bus market is growing significantly with different power packs such as
CNG vehicles, Hybrid vehicles, Electric vehicles and Fuel cell buses. The space available for these units is only on roof top along
with the AC roof pods and roof top cooling systems. All this would not only increase the weight but also push the centre of gravity
upwards and thus making the vehicle more sensitive to roll over. Because of the difficulty to test or to reduce the process time in
testing, most of the OEM's / Bus manufacturers use the partial structure / body sections for testing using virtual verification and
physical validation.
Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) is extensively used to reduce product development cost and time while improving the safety,
comfort, and durability of the vehicles. n this paper, the base structure comprising of body sections is virtually simulated for rollover
and the same is physically validated. This practice had very good correlation with physical testing. Design improvements are done in
CAE to enhance the performance of superstructure and the confidence is enough to implement the similar modifications to the
complete bus structure. This exercise is carried out in Radioss and results are compared with Physical test.

Introduction

With the increase in computational capacity of modern computer hardware, Computer Aided Engineering
(CAE) tools are essentially used to reduce product development cost and time. Various aspects of the
vehicle design such as safety, comfort, and durability are being evaluated and enhanced for different
physical loading conditions. Bus rollover is one of the most serious types of accidents as compared to
other modes of bus accidents. The passenger protection in case of rollover phenomenon is captured in
European regulation (ECE R 66) and ndian Automotive standard (AS 031) as a residual space in case of
drop of a bus structure from 800 mm height. Three different methods are suggested in both the standards
for evaluating the strength though physical test of the bus superstructure viz. rollover of complete bus
structure, rollover for a body section and quasi-static/pendulum tests of body structure.
Normally simulation and testing of a complete bus structure approach is followed in Ashok Leyland. This
paper represents a case study where due to limited resources for physical testing, a body section was
tested as per standard and accordingly simulated in CAE. This method in turn simplifies the modeling
tasks and also reduces the computer resources needed. A systematic process was developed for
correlation of the physical test and CAE results, starting from component level to body section. With the
confidence from available body structure correlation, complete bus model was simulated and verified for
the rollover compliance.



As stated in regulation ECE R66, a body section means a structural unit containing at least two bays
connected by representative connecting elements and a bay is defined as a structural section of the
superstructure forming a closed loop between two planes which are perpendicular to the vertical
longitudinal centre plane (VLCP) of the vehicle. A bay contains one window (or door) pillar on each side
of the vehicle as well as side wall elements, a section of the roof structure and a section of the floor and
under floor structure.
The objective of this work was to develop a body section methodology in CAE and correlation of the same
with the Physical test results. Radioss explicit solver was used for simulating the structure from
component level to body section and finally rollover of complete bus structure.


Process MethodoIogy

A systematic methodology/approach towards objective was developed and verified with correlation at
different stages is discussed as follows:

Component IeveI correIation
For getting a good level of correlation for a complete vehicle, correlation study was conducted on the
important structural components with simple tests. The component/assembly level testing and simulations
were conducted with a simple quasi-static loading condition to match the load carrying characteristics.
One of the tests illustrated below is for joint between vertical pillar and horizontal rail analysed using
Radioss for validating the material model and the simulation code. Component level correlation of testing
and simulation results can be seen in figure 1, 2 and 3.






Figure 1. Component level correlation: FE model and test set up













Figure 2. Component level correlation: Simulation and test results showing location of failure


Figure 3. Component level correlation: Load Vs displacement plot for simulation and test

Body Section model build-up

After studying the full vehicle, four bays have been considered for the body sections. The mass
distribution of the body sections represented the equivalent section of a production vehicle. Ballast was
added between the chassis rails so as not to artificially increase the rigidity of the body structure. A
residual framework was installed at each seating row position in accordance with ECE R66. The structure
was fitted with legs at each corner which raised it above the ground to the same height as a fully built
vehicle on its suspension under normal load conditions.

The CAE model was also built in-line with the test setup using HyperMesh. The model was prepared
using shell elements with QEPH shell formulation and material model used was elastic plastic piecewise
linear material (LAW36). The mass and CG for the model was adjusted according to physical test model

by distributing the mass across the body structure. The body structure was positioned in the configuration
just before the impact with the ground. nitial velocities were applied based on calculations from multi-
body dynamic simulation of simple structure with mass, inertia and stability characteristics. Type 7 contact
was defined between the tilting table and legs of the structure.

Body Section level correlation
The physical model was tested to check conformity with ECE R66 Annex 6 - Rollover test using a body
section as an equivalent approval method. The same was simulated in CAE for Rollover using Radioss
with verified and validated FE model. The correlation pictures from the test and simulation results can be
seen in figure 4 to 6. Figure 7 shows a deformed body structure in CAE and intrusion of structure in
residual space.





CAE Radioss Simulation Physical Testing

Figure 4. Body section level correlation for deformation pattern: Rear pillars diagonal member




CAE Radioss Simulation Physical Testing

Figure 5. Body section level correlation for deformation pattern: Rear pillars





Physical Testing



CAE Radioss Simulation

Figure 6. Body section level correlation for deformation pattern: Front pillars




Figure 7. Body section CAE Radioss simulation result








Improvements suggested from CAE
The CAE body section model showed a good compliance with the test results. Further modifications were
carried out to meet the requirement of body structure with the confidence from observed correlation levels
on component and body section testing. Structural parameters were changed in CAE and the iterations
were carried out in Radioss to meet the standard requirements. CAE suggestions were implemented in
the actual body structure. The modified structure was re-tested and was passed the standard
requirements as indicated in CAE simulations. The CAE result of the improved design can be seen in the
figure 8. (Physical test results are not available for modified structure)


Figure 8. CAE result of the improved Body section design


















CAE simuIation resuIts for compIete bus structure
A FE model for complete bus structure was developed to check the effect of modification done for body
structure in a complete vehicle. The results shown conservative results in terms of deformations, as the
guidelines for consideration of body structure was done on the basis of worst body sections. n full vehicle
model the pillars are loaded more evenly as compare to body section and shown a lower deformations.
The CAE result of the complete bus can be seen in the figure 9.




Figure 9. CAE result of the complete bus
















ResuIts & Discussions

The component level correlation results show a good correlation between test and simulation. t is also
observed that the simulation results are conservative compared to test values.
Body section level simulation also got a good correlation with test results. Since there is no failure criteria
defined in computer simulation, the physical cracking/breaking of components are correlated with material
ultimate limits.
With body sections model and CAE, the time required for product development has reduced drastically.
CAE results for body section are more conservative compare with full vehicle model

Benefits Summary

Using CAE tools like Radioss, reduces number of physical tests and thereby saving lot of cost and time.
This also enhances multiple choices of design variation and verification. Having got good correlation in
component/vehicle level, confidence levels are increased to optimize the product design and this will even
help in avoiding physical tests.

ChaIIenges

Key challenges involved in this project were selection of critical joints for correlation, building and
modeling of body section as per standard requirements and validation of Radioss for correlation levels
which were already established in Ashok Leyland with other softwares.

Future PIans

Based on the observations in the complete exercise and correlation study, the process of body section
approach can be implemented in initial phase of deign validation. The results will be conservative and
definitely help in meeting the complete vehicle level targets.

ConcIusions
A good correlation in terms of deformations and failure locations was observed in physical test and
Radioss simulation on component/assembly as well as bus body section of a bus structure.
Based on the correlation exercise structural development was done using Radioss and was confidently
implemented in final design.
The approach of body structure test/simulation is very useful in initial design phase, where the complete
details of the bus super-structure are not available.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Sujit Mungale for his continuous support, patience,
motivation, enthusiasm, and immense knowledge. Apart from him, would also like to thank my team
members for their continuous support.

REFERENCES

(1) United Nations; Uniform technical prescriptions concerning the approval of large passenger vehicles with regard to the strength
of their superstructure. Regulation 66.
(2) Automotive Vehicles The Strength of Superstructure of Large Passenger Vehicles (AS-031)
(3) Altair HyperWorks 11.0 Help