Citation

Tidbury GH. Int. J. Veh. Des. 1980; 1(2): 165-172.

Affiliation

Cranfield Inst of Technol, Engl

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Inderscience Publishers)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This survey draws attention to the increase in the importance of structural analysis in automotive design in the past twenty years. Structural design has advanced in this period from the stage where new designs were based on experience, to the present position where very detailed computer analyses are carried out for most new designs. Static and dynamic analysis of integral sheet metal car bodies is considered, as well as the rapidly growing ability of structural analysts to deal with the problem of large deformation on impact. The importance of a thorough understanding of the theory of thin-walled beams in the design of ladder frames for commercial vehicles is underlined. A somewhat arbitrary selection of references is given to illustrate the extent of research in this fast growing subject.