Nonlinear Hybrid Optimization for the Powertrain of a Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD) Vehicle

Lightweight of the structure is known as an effective approach to improve fuel economy and handling of the automobile. Moreover, the optimization for the powertrain increases the acceleration performance and reduces the energy consumption of driven components. In this paper, a popular powertrain of a Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD) vehicle is considered as a research object. The nonlinear hybrid mathematical model of optimization is created. The target function, whose value varies with continuous and discrete variables, is the combined moment of inertia consisting of transmission and sub-actuator. The constraints include the gear surface fatigue, gear bending fatigue, the belt tensile failure and so on. The design variable involves the sizes of gears and sheaves, the gear thickness, the numbers of sheaves and so on. Finally, some results based on the nonlinear programming principles are derived, and relative conclusions are drawn.