Development of a Multibody Model Used to Study the Impact Between a Vehicle Wheel with a Pothole.

The aim of the work was to develop a multi-body model that can simulate the Impact between the vehicle wheel and a pothole. The model consists of the vehicle wheel together with front McPherson suspension assembly and a potholed road surface. Therefore the kinematics of the suspension when the vehicle hits a pothole can be simulated. The model was first predetermined by an analytical calculation and then successfully validated by an experimental test performed with the same parameters as the virtual model. The results were very similar and therefore allow the model to be used to simulate different scenarios in terms of wheel dynamics and behavior when impacting potholes with different depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]