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© David Cole

Undergraduates

If you're a Part II undergraduate at CUED and interested in driver-vehicle dynamics or car chassis/suspension engineering then this page is for you.

Relevant Part II Modules

• 3B4 electric drive systems
• 3C5 dynamics
• 3C6 vibration
• 3C8 machine design
• 3F1 signals and systems
• 3F2 systems and control
• 3G3 introduction to neuroscience

• 4C6 advanced linear vibration
• 4C7 random and nonlinear vibration
• 4C8 applications of dynamics
• 4C16 advanced machine design
• 4F1 control system design
• 4F2 robust and nonlinear systems and control
• 4F3 optimal and predictive control

Part IIA Automotive Suspension Design Project

The Part IIA automotive suspension design project is ideal for anyone interested in the mechanical design of car suspension.

Part IIB Projects

In the Easter term of the third year you have to choose a project for the fourth year. I usually run three or four projects that are closely linked to the research of the DVD Group. Recent projects include:

Quantifying car handling behaviour

An important characteristic of a car is its handling behaviour - how easy the car is to control, particularly near the limit of adhesion. The handling affects the safety and enjoyment of the driver. Terms like understeer and oversteer are often used but these are essentially steady-state properties whereas it is the transient behaviour that is significant. Improved methods for quantifying handling quality are needed so that good handling qualities can be designed in from the start, rather than relying on skilled test drivers to tweak the final design. The aim of the project is to devise a driving simulator experiment, collect data, analyse the data, and compare the measured data to an existing mathematical model. The project will support ongoing research activity in the Department on vehicle-driver interaction.

Steer-by-wire

Automotive steer-by-wire systems eliminiate the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the road wheels. Artificial torque feedback through the steering wheel is used to give the driver the important ‘feel’ that is present in conventional steering systems. However, at present there is insufficient understanding of the role of torque feedback in vehicle steering control for the full benefit of steer-by-wire to be realized. The main task in this project is to devise and perform some experiments using an existing driving simulator and torque feedback steering wheel. The aim is to develop an improved understanding of the effect of torque feedback and steering ‘feel’ on vehicle handling qualities. The project will support ongoing research activity in the Department on driver-vehicle interaction.

Automotive suspension design

The aim of this project is to apply Pro-Engineer to the embodiment design of an automotive suspension assembly. The main objective is to develop techniques for using ProE to predict forces and motions within the suspension arising from cornering, braking and road irregularities. The prediction and design of characteristics such as roll centres, camber change, bump-steer and ride behaviour can also be considered. The findings from the project will be incorporated into the third-year automotive suspension design project next year. The project is ideally suited to someone taking the third year suspension design and/or CAE projects, or to anyone with an interest in mechanical/automotive engineering design. There is quite a lot of scope in this project, so you would have some freedom to explore your own interests and ideas.

Student-led Projects

There are several opportunities to become involved in vehicle engineering in your own time. Full Blue Racing is the CUED Formula Student team. CU EcoRacing builds solar-powered cars and competes in the World Solar Challenge. Funding and other support is available from the Student-led Projects and Industry Partnership (SPIP).