In this work, several aspects related to the structural design process of a full-carbon fiber-reinforced plastic solar vehicle are detailed, focusing on the monocoque chassis, the leaf springs, and the vehicle as a whole during a crash test.
Total time
~4–8 weeks (design iteration, FEA optimization, and testing cycles)
Steps
1
Design monocoque chassis structure
Develop the primary load-bearing carbon fiber-reinforced plastic chassis, establishing geometry and layup orientation for the full-scale solar vehicle.
▶ 01:09
2
Evaluate leaf spring stress and loads
Analyze stress concentration points and out-of-plane loading conditions in the suspension leaf spring design using finite element analysis.
▶ 04:40
3
Simulate full-frontal crash scenario
Run crash test simulation on the complete vehicle assembly to assess structural deformation, energy absorption, and failure modes.
▶ 10:01
4
Optimize and validate structural design
Interpret finite element optimization results and validate structural improvements through iterative testing of the solar vehicle components.
▶ 12:34