Prediction of Damage to the Vehicle Underbody due to Stone Chipping

Abstract

In these days, there is a paradigm shift from internal-combustion-engine vehicles to electric vehicles. Most electric vehicles developed include batteries mounted at the bottom, near the rear wheels. Hence, the robust design of underbody parts against the impact of external bodies or random stone chipping needs to be made. In this study, the mathematical modeling and statistical probability analysis of stone chipping and tire slip are performed for identifying and confirming the critical zones of the vehicle underbody that may be damaged by stone chipping. Thereby, stone chipping can be predicted by simulations using the employed mathematical model, before conducting experimental verification using the existing methods. Furthermore, the development cost and time can be reduced because the elements of the designed underbody can be analyzed for robustness, and the safety factor can be established during the design stage.