Predictive Technology to Improve Build & Reliability

To develop advanced reliable life prediction durability performance evaluation methodologies for fatigue design of automotive chassis components. 

Dr. Ali Fatemi, Ring Companies Endowed Professor and Department Chair for Mechanical Engineering and Director of Fatigue and Fracture Research Laboratory, recently received an additional funding extension of his project “Research on welding virtual predictive technology to improve the robustness and reliability of steel based PBV” with Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea. Hyundai Motor Group is now the world’s third-largest automaker in terms of sales volume. With this extension, Hyundai has so far provided a total of $320,200 since August 2021 for the project.

Automotive chassis components contain many weldments, and most fatigue failures originate from the welds, significantly affecting durability. Currently the most common methods for fatigue life and durability evaluation of chassis components are by using either a trial-and-error procedure, or by using weld standards. These methods, however, are inefficient and often result in heavy and non-competitive designs.

The objective in this project is to develop advanced reliable life prediction durability performance evaluation methodologies for fatigue design of chassis components. The results of the projects will be used to improve durability of vehicle chassis structures, as well as provide quantitative methods for design engineers for light weighting and increased fuel efficiency. A delegate of Hyundai materials and design engineers visited UofM in May to review project progress with Fatemi and the PhD student working on the project, Mr. Ahmad Razi.

For more information on this project, contact Fatemi at afatemi@memphis.edu.