VEHICLE BODY ENGINEERING AND SAFETY
AM 76501

Course objectives
At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

1. be familiar with vehicle body history
2. have a sound knowledge for the design of the vehicles body to give maximum comfort for the passengers and exposed to the methods of stream lining the vehicles body to minimize drag and
3. Understand safety requirements for vehicle body.

1. Introduction(4 hours)
1. History and development of motor car body
2. Creation of a new design from concept to realization
3. Methods of construction
4. Basic body construction
5. Identification of major body pressings
6. Requirements of an automobile body


2. Vehicle aerodynamics(2 hours)
1. Aerodynamic effect of various forces and moments
2. Side wind effects on forces and moments
3. Pressure distribution of forces and moments on vehicle surface
4. Air resistance on vehicles
5. Body optimization for maximum drag
6. Wind tunnel testing
7. Flow visualisation around vehicle
8. Method of reducing air resistance
9. Scale model testing


3. Car body(8 hours)
1. Types
2. Visibility regulations
3. Drivers seat design and dimension parameters
4. Drivers visibility and methods for improving visibility and space in cars
5. Design for safety, safety requirements
6. Car body construction, design criteria
7. Crash test on full scale model
8. Dash boards, instrument panel and passenger compartment lighting
9. Heating and ventilation systems, audio- visual systems, body and coachwork


4. Bus body(9 hours)
1. Types: Mini bus, single decker, doubles decker, two level, and spirit level
2. Articulated bus, bus body layout, floor height, engine locations, entrance and exit locations, passenger seating dimensions, seat layout
3. Constructional detail, frame construction, double skin construction, types of metal construction used, types of metal sections used, conventional and integral coach type instruction
4. Bus body code regulations
5. Pneumatic equipment for passenger door opening and closing
6. Air conditioning equipment selection and mounting


5. Commercial vehicle(8 hours)
1. Types of body, flat platform, drop side, fixed side
2. Tipper body, tanker body, light commercial vehicle body types
3. Dimensions of driver seat in relation to controls
4. Drivers cab design
5. Tipper body design
6. Volume weight considerations
7. Pay load and related regulations


6. Body loads(8 hours)
1. Idealized structure, structural surface
2. Shear panel method
3. Symmetric and asymmetric vertical loads, longitudinal load
4. Different loading situations
5. Chassis frame design
6. Construction of doors, apertures, windows
7. Spare wheel carrier construction and design for different types of vehicle and weight distribution criteria in relation to spare wheel locations
8. Sources of body noise testing and methods of elimination
9. Water leakage test


7. Body materials(4 hours)
1. Metal sheets (steel, aluminium), plastics, timber, GRP, FRP
2. Insulating materials, adhesives and sealants
3. Wind screen
4. Back light and window glasses and regulations for glasses
5. Difference between toughened glass, sheet glass and laminated glass
6. Composite materials, properties of materials, corrosion, anti-corrosion methods
7. Selection of paint and painting processes, body trim items, body mechanisms


8. Safety(2 hours)
1. Safety considerations
2. State of art safety systems
3. Approaches to automotive safety
4. Pedestrian safety
5. Safety measures of high speed car

Practical

1. Term work presentation
2. Case studies on vehicle body engineering and safety

References

1. Sydney F. Page, Body engineering: design and construction of motor vehicle bodywork, Chapman and Hall
2. Robinson, The Repar of Vehicle Bodies, Newnes

Evaluation scheme
The questions will cover all the chapters of the syllabus. The evaluation scheme will be as indicated in the table below:

*There may be minor deviation in mark distribution