Evaluation of engine-induced vibration levels on a Baja SAE frame: a pilot comfort improvement assessment using the Finite Element Method

Resumo

The development of reliable virtual models to evaluate vehicle attributes, such as comfort, is crucial for
the automotive industry to reduce time and costs on the product development process. The vibration levels
generated by the engine can potentially cause uncomfortable effects on the passengers and compromise the vehicle
operation when in resonance with other components, thus they should be carefully analyzed. The objective of this
work is to numerically evaluate the vibration levels of a Baja SAE frame on the interface regions with the pilot
and develop countermeasures to decrease these levels. To reach this objective, a finite element model of the frame
was built, using shell elements. Modal and torsional stiffness analyses were performed to validate the model.
Frequency Response Functions were generated to evaluate the vibration transmissibility from the engine to the
seat and steering wheel fixing points, within the operational frequency range of the engine. To decrease the
vibration levels, engine mount bushings and structural countermeasures were tested on the model to define the
best solutions for the pilot comfort, comparing the frequency response functions amplitudes under different frame
designs and bushings properties.