Window glass is a component of the side door assembly of cars. It provides a
clear vision for passengers and outsiders. It functions as a temporary opening
and ventilation system for the car. It is a part of a car’s aesthetics; it adds
stiffness to the door and protects the occupants from different weather
conditions. The objectives of this study were to understand the effect of fully
and partially opened or closed window glass on the dynamic behaviors of door
assemblies and to develop a process to assess these dynamic behaviors.
An assessment methodology was developed to determine the effects of various
window glass positions on the dynamic behavior of the door assembly. An
authenticated finite element (FE) model was used to complete this investigation.
The finite element model of the door assembly was validated by correlating the
modal frequencies with their corresponding mode shapes. The correlated FE model
with the window glass fully closed was called the baseline (W0), and eight other
models with the window glass partially and fully opened were analyzed and
assessed.
The baseline and eight models were assessed in terms of modal results and total
vibrations. The investigation was based on modal analysis, frequency response,
and total vibrations, which were calculated based on the area under the curve
using the trapezoidal rule. The total vibrations were evaluated at all 15
critical locations.
The discussion and interpretation led to a few conclusions. There is a minor
effect on the natural frequency, mode shape, and number of modes between 0 Hz
and 100 Hz. There was a significant increase in vibration around the window
glass and a negligible effect on locations away from the window glass. Finally,
the work was concluded with suggestions for door designers and a few
recommendations for car drivers.