Indicative contents

• Kinematics: Introduction and basic concepts, Position, velocity and acceleration at a point, Fundamentals of kinematics, Newton’s laws of motion, Rigid body motion, Degrees of freedom, Mechanisms and machines, Different types of links and joints, Different types of mechanisms and its inversions.
• Dynamics: Introduction, Newton’s Laws of Motion, Dynamic models, Mass, Mass moment and center of gravity, Mass moment of inertia, Parallel axis theorem, Radius of gyration, Introduction to balancing, Static balance, Dynamic balance, Slider crank kinematics, Flywheels
• Friction: Introduction, Types of friction, Laws of friction, Coefficient of friction, Friction clutches, Rolling friction and bearings
• Cams: Introduction, Different types of Cams and followers, Classification of Cam-follower system, Applications of Cam-follower systems, Cam design, Demonstration of Automotive valve train mechanisms, cams etc.,
• Gears: Introduction, Classification of gears, Laws of gearing, Gear terminology, Interface between rack and pinion, Gear train, Different types of gear trains
• Introduction to Automobiles: Introduction to automotive systems, Vehicle layout, automotive engines, engine layouts, engine classifications, engine components, automotive transmission systems
• Introduction to Vehicle Dynamics: Introduction, vehicle dynamics terminologies, basic mechanics and analytical methods in vehicle dynamics, mathematical models, vehicle fixed coordinate system, earth fixed coordinate system, Euler angles, Newton’s second law, forces acting on a vehicle, static and dynamic axle loads, introduction to directional response in three perpendicular axis
• Steering system: Introduction to steering systems, Different types of steering systems, Automotive steering mechanism, Steering geometry such as caster, camber etc., Demonstration of different types of Automotive steering systems
• Suspension system: Introduction to automotive suspension systems, functions of automotive suspension system, different types of suspension systems used in automobiles, suspension model, conventional suspension system, semi-active suspension systems and control, active suspension systems
• Vehicle Rollover: Introduction to rollover, types of roll over, causes of rollover, avoidance of rollover, aerodynamics and rollover, rollover testing, rollover regulations and ratings, roll over demonstrations
   

Module Resources

• Essential reading
  1. Course notes
• Recommended Reading
  1. Ellis, J. R., (1969), “Vehicle Dynamics”, Mechanical Engineering Publications
  2. Rahrejat, H., (1998), “Multi-body Dynamics-Machines, Vehicle and Mechanisms”, Mechanical Engineering Publications.
  3. Gillespie T. D., (1992), “Fundmentals of vehicle dynamics”, Society of Automotive Engineers.