The prediction of vehicle handling performance adds to several important inputs to the suspension designers early in the stage of product development. These inputs, for instance, the cornering behavior and lane change performance, provide better understanding to propose the suspension specification [1,2].
In this paper, a concept study for vehicle handling performance of a test vehicle between the rear suspension setup of semi-independent trailing arm and torsion (twist) beam in the same platform using computer aided engineering (CAE) techniques has been carried out.
Here, a full CAE vehicle model in ADAMS/Car has been developed and standard vehicle handling performance tests are simulated. The CAE test results are validated with that of physical testing performed on a proto vehicle and correlation is established. The rear suspension of this CAE model is replaced from initial setup of semi-independent trailing arm to torsion beam suspension and the change in vehicle handling performance is evaluated. The results of this concept study may give the suspension designers a better insight in developing a new or a different suspension setup towards achieving the vehicle handling performance target, even before the first prototype is built.