The Design and Optimization of FSAE Upright Under Real Load Spectrum

Upright is an important part of the suspension structure of the racing car. It is an essential part of the wheel assembly to connect with the whole body of the vehicle. Under the high frequency and high amplitude acceleration, it is prone to cause fatigue failure due to alternating load. So, it is of great importance to analyze the fatigue life and strengthen the low fatigue life for the structure. This thesis focuses on the real track conditions of the FSAE cars, suspension position sensor and vehicle acceleration sensor are used as the main inputs, combined with vertical load distribution between tires, and the load spectrum at the upright is extracted. Considering the fatigue analysis results and the fatigue failure example of the previous racing car’s upright, the structure of the part is further optimized. The optimized left rear upright reduces maximum stress by nearly 45%, increases mileage by nearly 5.33 times, and reduces mass by nearly 15%. While optimizing the structure strength of the upright, the fatigue life of the upright is extended and the lightweight design is further realized.