Open AccessDevelopment of methods to measure the forces at the rear suspension of a race car during racetrack driving
Author(s) -
Davide Cortivo,
L Dindo,
M Vendramin,
Giovanni Meneghetti
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
iop conference series. materials science and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1757-899X
pISSN - 1757-8981
DOI - 10.1088/1757-899x/1214/1/012048
Subject(s) - suspension (topology) , strain gauge , calibration , matrix (chemical analysis) , structural engineering , point (geometry) , measure (data warehouse) , engineering , sensitivity (control systems) , automotive engineering , simulation , computer science , physics , materials science , geometry , mathematics , composite material , quantum mechanics , database , electronic engineering , homotopy , pure mathematics
The forces generated by the tyres of a vehicle are responsible for the maximum achievable performance for a race car. In this work, a geometric matrix method combined with a sensitivity matrix method has been applied to a rear multi-link suspension of a rear-wheel-drive race car to estimate the tyre forces from the measurement of the loads acting on the suspension arms. The geometric matrix method calculates the wheel forces from the equilibrium of the wheel assembly, thus involving all reaction forces exchanged with the suspension arms. The reaction forces have been measured through the application of axial strain gauge bridges on the link arms; however, the lower arm has a complex geometry and exchanges multi-axial forces with the upright, therefore a sensitivity matrix method has been implemented. The strain gauges positions have been identified with FE analyses and after installing the sensors, the calibration of the entire suspension assembly has been performed in a dedicated test rig where known forces at the ideal contact point between the wheel and the ground can be applied. After the calibration and validation in the laboratory, the instrumented suspension has been installed in a race vehicle and multiple racetrack acquisitions have been successfully performed.