Simulation of a Vehicle Running on to a Curb by Using Tire and Vehicle FE Models

Tatsuya Fukushima, Hitoshi Shimonishi*, Kimihiro Hayashi**, Masaki Shiraishi*** * NISSAN MOTOR CO.,LTD 1,Natsushima-cho,Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa 237-8523, Japan **The Japan Research Institute, Limited 2-18-25, Marunouchi, Naka-ku, Nagoya 460-0002, Japan ***SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD 1-1, 2-chome, Tsutsui-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 651-0072, Japan A simplified FE tire model has capability to solve a large deformation of a tire on a vehicle running simulation with acceptable computational time. We tried to simulate a vehicle running on to a curb, one of vehicle strength tests, by using simplified FE tire models and a vehicle FE model which has detailed suspension models. It is necessary to solve the force to a wheel with good agreement with a car test, in order to estimate the force to suspension systems or a body as a vehicle strength problem. We confirmed that the simulated force to a wheel agreed with the force by car test.