Effects of design and adhesive modulus on the torsional stiffness of automotive structures

Abstract

The torsional stiffness of automotive structures is one of the major factors that affect vehicle handling, safety, and passenger comfort. Several factors such as material property, geometry, and joining technique contribute to the stiffness of a structure. This paper investigates the effect of adhesive modulus on the torsional stiffness of idealized box beams and plenum chambers for a luxury car. The effect of the adhesive modulus was investigated by considering four different adhesives ranging in modulus from 6MPa to 3GPa. To assess the influence of the apertures, some tests were carried out on box beams containing a single aperture on one side. Spot-welded plenum chambers and beams were also tested to provide a comparison of adhesive performance against conventional methods of joining. The effect of the adhesive modulus and the apertures in the plenum chambers on the results are discussed in the light of the results obtained, as well as the suitability of using adhesive bonding to reduce the vehicle weight.

Keywords

torsional stiffness automotive box sections plenum chamber adhesive bonding spot welding

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