Development of a Scaled Vehicle Model for Dynamics Testing

The interest in using scaled models for dynamics testing of prototype vehicles is growing due to the high demand for autonomous driving. In the early design phases, vehicle testing is done using computer simulations. Even though computer simulations are proven to be extremely helpful in designing prototypes, simulation models need to be validated using realworld testing. There are high costs involved in vehicle testing and it’s dangerous to conduct aggressive driving manoeuvres with real drivers. As a solution, researchers have used scaled models. To validate the computer simulations, researchers matched the scaled model test data with full-size vehicle prototypes considering the dynamic similitude. However, previous work was limited to the analysis of the steady-state behaviour of vehicles. To accurately predict the behaviour, the transientstate response must be tested as well. Therefore, this paper outlines the precursory work of a scaled model with the ability to test both states during vehicle manoeuvres. This paper is structured as follows. Section II presents related work. Section III elaborates on the mathematical modelling and present the results of the computer simulations. Section IV presents the scaled model which will be developed. Section V concludes the findings, and present the future work of research.

Study on model design and dynamic similitude relations of vibro-acoustic experiment for elastic cavity

Coupling between aero-acoustic noise and structural vibration under high-speed open cavity flow-induced oscillation may bring about severe random vibration of the structure, and even cause structure to fatigue destruction, which threatens the flight safety. Carrying out the research on vibro-acoustic experiments of scaled down model is an effective means to clarify the effects of high-intensity noise of cavity on structural vibration. Therefore, in allusion to the vibro-acoustic experiments of cavity in wind tunnel, taking typical elastic cavity as the research object, dimensional analysis and finite element method were adopted to establish the similitude relations of structural inherent characteristics and dynamics for distorted model, and verifying the proposed similitude relations by means of experiments and numerical simulation. Research shows that, according to the analysis of scale-down model, the established similitude relations can accurately simulate the structural dynamic characteristics of actual model, which provides theoretic guidance for structural design and vibro-acoustic experiments of scaled down elastic cavity model.