Project Context

A Formula Student spaceframe chassis was designed under SAE rule constraints and evaluated for frontal crashworthiness. The study focused on assessing structural response under a prescribed longitudinal impact load to identify deformation and failure-prone regions early in the design cycle.

Engineering Problem

• Ensure driver safety under a severe frontal impact scenario

• Maintain structural integrity while minimizing chassis mass

• Identify high-stress and high-deformation regions in a tubular spaceframe

• Evaluate adequacy of a preliminary static-analysis approach for crash assessment

Approach & Methodology

A full 3D chassis model was created using welded tubular members arranged via triangulation to minimize bending-dominated load paths. The model was imported into ANSYS Static Structural, assigned structural steel properties, and subjected to a rule-based equivalent frontal load. Deformation, von Mises stress, and factor of safety distributions were evaluated to guide structural refinement.

Key Results

• Frontal impact simulated using an applied longitudinal load of 21.87 kN at the front bulkhead

• Large global deformations observed under the applied load, indicating insufficient stiffness in the baseline design

• High von Mises stress concentrations identified across multiple load paths, not localized to a single member

• Factor of safety plots indicated widespread risk of structural failure under the imposed loading condition

Engineering Judgment & Trade-offs

Static structural analysis provided a conservative first-pass assessment but was insufficient to represent true crash dynamics. While triangulation reduced bending in individual members, overall stiffness remained inadequate, indicating the need for targeted reinforcement. Improving crash performance would require mass addition or redistribution, necessitating careful trade-offs between weight, stiffness, and compliance with Formula Student rules.

Tools & Methods

SOLIDWORKS, ANSYS Structural, CAD, FEA, tubular weldment modeling, rule-based load estimation.

Outcome / Takeaway

The analysis highlighted structural weaknesses in the initial chassis design and established the need for localized reinforcement and dynamic (explicit) crash simulation. The results informed subsequent design iterations aimed at improving crashworthiness without unnecessary mass increase.