Use of FEA Concept Models to Develop Light-Truck Cab Architectures with Reduced Weight and Enhanced NVH Characteristics

Many recent developments in automotive technology have resulted from the need to improve fuel economy without sacrificing passenger comfort or safety. This paper documents an effort to reduce the weight of dual-use military/civilian vehicles through the use of innovative design architectures. Specifically, a number of crossmember architecture concepts were developed for the cab floorpan of a light-duty truck. The floorpan is a key structural component of any vehicle, providing a significant contribution to noise, vibration, and harshness parameters such as stiffness and normal modes. Finite element concept models of the baseline cab and concept cabs are used to show that changes in the crossmember architecture can significantly reduce cab weight without compromising structural performance.