Nowadays is a common sense the importance of the CAE usage in the modern automotive industry. The ability to predict the design behavior of a project represents a competitive advantage. However, some CAE models have become so complex and detailed that, in some cases, one just can not build up the model without a considerable amount of information. In that case simplified models play an important role in the design phase, especially in pre-program stages.
This work intends to build an archetypal vehicle dynamics model able to predict the rollover resistance of a vehicle design. Through the study of a more complex model, carried out in Adams environment, it was possible to identify the key degrees of freedom to be considered in the simplified model along with important elements of the suspension which are also important design factors. The following degrees of freedom were taken into account for the archetypal model: lateral motion, roll motion and vertical displacement of vehicle center of gravity.
The simplified model showed a very good agreement with the complex model and also with experimental data. The typical wheel hop phenomena, very common in the verge of the vehicle rollover, was possible to predict using the model, proving its capability. The deep knowledge of the vehicle parameters that affect the rollover the most represents a good result in terms of engineering. An early vehicle design development, especially in early stages of the project, can reduce the likelihood of an error state in advanced phases as well as lowering the development costs.