Reference no: EM133099608
MHH123668 Advanced Computer-Aided Engineering - Glasgow Caledonian University
Finite Element Analysis Coursework
Off-Road Buggy Roll Cage Analysis
Introduction
An off-road buggy similar to the one in Figure 1 requires some analysis on the roll-cage roof. The roof (highlighted in red in Figure 1) is to be made from aluminium plate or a composite material. For the best experience, a good power to weight ratio is important, so the weight of the buggy roof should be kept to a minimum.
Material Properties
The material properties for the two material options can be found in ANSYS Workbench Engineering Data:
• Option 1: Aluminium Alloy
• Option 2: Epoxy Carbon Woven (230 GPa) Wet
Boundary Conditions and Loads
As it is possible for the buggy to land on its roof, the roll-cage roof should be designed to withstand the full weight of the buggy (550 kg including driver) applied over the roof surface. The edges of the roof can all be assumed to be fixed due to the stiffness of the roll-cage itself.
Dimensions
The external dimensions of the roll-cage roof are as follows: Width: 450 mm
Length: 550 mm
Maximum Composite Thickness: 4.5 mm
Requirements
You are required to write a report of maximum 1500 words containing the following sections:
- Introduction: A general introduction to the requirements for finite element analysis and the particular requirements for composite analysis.
- Procedure: The procedure used to perform the analysis on the roll-cage roof using the two different materials, referring to duplicated procedures where appropriate. You should use a minimum of nine (9) plies for the composite material and investigate at least three (3) different lay-ups.
- Results: The results from the static stress analysis for both materials, clearly showing understanding of the requirements for mesh refinement and convergence. Your results for both materials should also be validated against solid mechanics theory from a recognised reference (NB: You are required to research this yourselves, but a full theoretical composite analysis is not required.)
General Results:
Convergence Study:
Validation:
- Detailed Composite Ply Analysis: Using ANSYS ACP-Post, provide the ply-level stress results for each of your lay-ups and comment on these.
- Summary and Conclusions: A discussion of the results of the analysis and the specification of a final material choice based on the requirements specified above.
Attachment:- Finite Element Analysis.rar