Chapter 1

Introduction

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Course Objectives
What do you need to know to understand vehicle
dynamics?
Important vehicle and system properties
Mechanics by which each system functions

Why do you need to know it?

How will a systems properties affect performance?
What are the design conflicts for achieving good performance in
different modes?

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Chapter 1 Objectives
Establish background information for understanding
vehicle dynamics
I.e., how do we model vehicle dynamics?
Coordinate systems
The role of equations
Newtons Second Law

Dynamic loads on axles

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Cugnot Vehicle (1769)

The first motorized vehicle

Also, the first accident!

P. 2

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Sunbeam Mabley (1901)

Development took some peculiar turns!

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Speed Increase in Early Autos

As speed increases, so do the dynamics
100

30/98 Vauxhall

160
140

100

Olds Limited

40

Winton
Peugeot
Victoria
Daimler

20

Paved road New York

to San Francisco

Fiat
60

60
First traffic signal

80

Peugeot

40

Speed (mph)

Mercer Raceabout

First concrete road

Speed (km/h)

80
120

20

Panhard Levassor
0
1880

0
1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

Year

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Forces on a Car
To understand dynamics we need to know the forces
on the vehicle
Gravity
Aerodynamics
Primary forces come from the tires

DLC Truck Tire Forces.exe

DLC Tire Forces.exe

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

SAE Vehicle-fixed Coordinate System

For many analyses the vehicle can be treated as a lumped
mass
Need to define a coordinate system (directions relative to
the vehicle)

CG
Pitch
q

Yaw
r

Roll
p
X

Y
Vertical
Z

P. 8

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

ISO Vehicle-fixed Coordinate System

Some use a system from the International Standards
Organization (ISO)
Both systems will be in the new SAE J670
Z Vertical

Yaw
r
Roll
p

CG
q
Pitch

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Earth-fixed Coordinate System

Need to define motions relative to an inertial frame
X

Heading Angle
Course Angle
(Positive)

Projection of
Instantaneous Velocity
x Projected
Vehicle Path
Sideslip Angle,
(Neg. angle shown)
Steer
Angle

y Projected
Y

P. 9

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

10

Engineering Models
Objective is to model automotive vehicles and
systems
Engineers use equations to define models
Equations are only approximations of nature
Consider the Perfect Gas Model

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

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Perfect Gas Model

PV = nRT

The model expresses:

What variables are important
(P, V, n, R, and T)
How they relate
Suppose I am interested in pressure

nRT
P=
V

Pressure is:
Proportional to n and T
Inversely proportional to V

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

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Engineering Models
Models that are simple, explicit equations teach us
how something works
The textbook focuses on these

More comprehensive models (tires, suspension

systems) require other solutions
When needed we integrate them into simulation models like

CarSim
TruckSim
BikeSim
SuspensionSim

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

13

Newtons Second Law

All dynamics start with NSL
Translational systems

= Ma x

Fx = Force in the x-direction

M = Mass of the body
ax = Acceleration in x-direction

Rotational system

= I xx x

Tx = Torque around the x-axis

Ixx = Moment of inertia about x-axis
x = Acceleration about the x-axis

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

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Mg

Summing moments about point A

L
+ PM + Rhx hh + Rhz d h Mg c c cos = 0
2
Mg c c cos Ma x h Mg c h sin LA L / 2 PM Rhx hh Rhz d h
Wf =
L
Mg c b cos + Ma x h + Mg c h sin LA L / 2 + PM + Rhx hh + Rhz ( L + d h )

W f L + Max h + Mg c h sin + LA

Wr =

L
Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

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Static Loads

Sitting statically on a level surface:

c
L
b
Wrs = W
L

W fs = W

P. 13

M gc
B

Wf

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

Wr

16

Acceleration at Low Speed

Acceleration on a level surface with no aerodynamic reactions

c h ax
h ax
Wf = W (
) = W fs W
L L gc
L gc
b h ax
h ax
Wr = W ( +
) = Wrs + W
L L gc
L gc

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

P. 13

17

Climbing a Grade

No aerodynamic or acceleration effects

Wf = W (

c cos h
sin )
L
L

P. 14

b cos h
+ sin )
L
L

For small angles: cos = 1, sin =

W f = W fs W

Wr = W (

Wr = Wrs + W

= Grade angle (in radians)

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

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Road Grades

Road grade is usually

expressed in %

Grade(%) = 100

= tan 1 ( Rise Run)

Rise
Run
Rise

Run

Rise

= 0.05
Run
= tan 1 (0.05) = 2.86 deg = 0.0499 rad 0.05 rad

Example 5% grade

Cos (2.862
) = 0.999 1

Sin(2.862
) = 0.0499 0.05

Good to about 20% (<2% error)

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

19

Composite Mass
Z

Finding the
Composite
CG Location

z3
z1
z2

Car

Cargo

m1

Composite

x1 x2

Longitudinal

m3

Passenger
m2

x3

Vertical
n

m z

m x

i i

i i

X composite =

i =1
n

i =1

Z composite =

i =1
n

i =1

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

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10

Car-trailer Combinations

0.35 m
3.0 m
908 kg

1.1 m
90 kg
964 kg

1.85 m
550 kg

Analyze trailer first to determine hitch forces

F
F

= Fhx = M tr (a x + )

= Fhz + Wtr = M tr g c
1.85 m
90 kg

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

550 kg

21

The End

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, T. D. Gillespie, 2013

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