ME 364 Vehicle Dynamics Course Objectives

Objectives for Test #2: Chapters 6, 7 & 10, Mechanism Review:

1. Use the 2-D and 3-D versions of the Kutzbach-Gruebler equation for determining mechanism mobility.
2. Explain the difference between the 2-D and 3-D versions of the Kutzbach-Gruebler equation and how this
effects vehicle suspension modeling.
3. Use the 4-bar mechanism analysis method to determine the upper A-arm and upright angles for a given lower
A-arm position and all required link lengths.
4. List the 5 primary functions of a vehicles suspension.
5. Identify examples and typical applications of the following suspension types: torsion bar, Hotchkiss, fourlink, trailing arm, double-wishbone, McPherson strut, semi-trailing arm, swing-axle.
6. Use the 4-bar mechanism analysis method and the simplified approximation to determine the motion ratio for
a double A-arm/double-wishbone suspension.
7. Describe the effect that suspension spring preload has on wheel rate and ride height.
8. Describe (without numbers) the basic concepts represented by the terms, and their effects on a vehicles
suspension performance: anti-squat, anti-dive, anti-lift, SVSA.
9. Determine the instant centers and roll center from a scaled drawing of double A-arm/double-wishbone and
McPherson strut suspensions.
10. Calculate the torsional roll stiffness of a vehicle from the wheel rate and track width.
11. Calculate the net lateral load transfer from inside wheels to outside wheels due to both vehicle roll and
cornering forces.
12. Calculate a vehicles roll angle from lateral acceleration and front and rear roll stiffnesses and roll heights.
13. Identify linear and rotational position variables, linear forces, and rotational moments used in the SAE tire
axis system.
14. Describe the key components contributing to tire friction forces and why classic friction laws (from high
school physics and sophomore dynamics) dont always apply to tires.
15. Define and describe longitudinal slip and identify regions of rearward and forward slip in a tires contact
patch.
16. Sketch a typical braking force vs. longitudinal slip plot (with numerical values) for both passenger car tires
and open-wheel racing tires at different vertical loads.
17. Define (with sketches and words) the terms slip angle, cornering stiffness, and cornering coefficient.
18. Describe how longitudinal and lateral tire forces are related through the friction circle.
19. Use a friction circle to determine longitudinal and lateral tire forces as functions of slip angle.
20. Determine tire cornering stiffness from plots of experimental data.
21. Describe the effect on tire cornering stiffness of the following parameters: tire inflation pressure, tire load
speed, tire aspect ratio, wheel rim size.
22. Describe the major approaches to tire modeling: how are they similar and how are they different?
23. Define Ackermann steering angles for inside and outside wheels and calculate when given vehicle parameters.
24. Describe the bicycle model and how its parameters (steer angle, cornering stiffness, Wf, Wr) are related to a
four-wheeled vehicles parameters.
25. Define understeer, neutral steer, and oversteer in terms of vehicle behavior and in terms of front/rear grip
distribution.
26. Define understeer, neutral steer, and oversteer in terms of the understeer gradient.
27. Define and calculate understeer characteristic speed, oversteer critical speed, and side slip angle in a high
speed turn.
28. Explain the source and effect of the following items related to understeer gradient: tire cornering stiffness,
camber thrust, roll steer, lateral force compliance steer, aligning torque, lateral load transfer, driving forces on
front and rear axles.