Increasing customer expectations of comfort and convenience inside the vehicle has resulted in OEMs working on various solutions to improve interior ergonomics and overall layout. One of the key areas of focus has been the ease of ingress into and egress from the vehicle. But with increased sharing of platforms in OEM Model Lineup, due to obvious benefits like cost and common tooling/parts, it is very difficult to achieve improved results in different vehicles (like Hatchback, Notchback, SUV etc.) but with same underpinnings.
One of the commonly used approaches is provision of false flooring via floor pads for front / Rear Passengers for easy Egress-Ingress. Floor Pads are used to maintain similar comfort levels across different vehicles sharing common platform and to maintain similar relationship between Foot resting positions and Side Sill.
Various materials like Synthetic felts, Polyurethane (PU) foam blocks, Rubber blocks, expanded polypropylene etc. are used to this end as solid structures placed below carpet. Other than that Synthetic resin structures are also used for the mentioned purpose. Of the various requirements for any solution for this application, compressive strength is one of the key requirements.
In this paper, for the application of Automotive Floor pad, firstly the most important criterion of compressive strength requirement is analytically established and quantified. Also, the same is verified through simulations, laboratory testing and usage surveys. Based on the study, the most suitable material or structures for the false flooring usage is concluded considering existing constraints.