Verification and validation of a finite element model of a human-powered vehicle chassis

Carlos Urrego, Uriel Zapata

Abstract:The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of verification and validation processes in the predictive precision and accuracy of a finite element model of a human-powered vehicle (HPV) chassis. The three-dimensional (3D) geometry of a steel frame structure was obtained using a 3D laser scanner to create a static finite element model of the structural system. Static operational loading conditions were physically represented using hollow concrete blocks and subsequently simulated in the software SolidWorks. Basic boundary conditions were applied to the physical model in order to ensure structural stability and resemble real-world settings. The verification and validation processes were developed according to the Guide for Verification and Validation in Computational Solid Mechanics from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The verification process was performed through a sensibility analysis, in which the model was subsequently remeshed by increasing the number of elements until output values converged. The validation process was performed by comparing the computational model’s stress and strain outputs with the corresponding quantitative values obtained from a strain gauge located in the physical model; the strain distribution of one part of the model was compared with that obtained using a photo-elastic technique. It was found that 716,890 was an acceptable number of solid tetrahedral elements needed to guarantee reliability in the HPV model outputs. In addition, the relative error between the experimental outputs and the computational model was 0.13% for normal principal stress and 3.73% for normal principal strain. These findings make clear that the processes of validation and verification are essential for quantifying the uncertainties and evaluating the predictive capacities of computational models of physical structures. Keywords:Static analysis, mechanical design, structure, uncertainty, accuracy, precision.

Title:	Verification and validation of a finite element model of a human-powered vehicle chassis
Author Name:	Carlos Urrego, Uriel Zapata
Abstract:	Abstract:The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of verification and validation processes in the predictive precision and accuracy of a finite element model of a human-powered vehicle (HPV) chassis. The three-dimensional (3D) geometry of a steel frame structure was obtained using a 3D laser scanner to create a static finite element model of the structural system. Static operational loading conditions were physically represented using hollow concrete blocks and subsequently simulated in the software SolidWorks. Basic boundary conditions were applied to the physical model in order to ensure structural stability and resemble real-world settings. The verification and validation processes were developed according to the Guide for Verification and Validation in Computational Solid Mechanics from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The verification process was performed through a sensibility analysis, in which the model was subsequently remeshed by increasing the number of elements until output values converged. The validation process was performed by comparing the computational model’s stress and strain outputs with the corresponding quantitative values obtained from a strain gauge located in the physical model; the strain distribution of one part of the model was compared with that obtained using a photo-elastic technique. It was found that 716,890 was an acceptable number of solid tetrahedral elements needed to guarantee reliability in the HPV model outputs. In addition, the relative error between the experimental outputs and the computational model was 0.13% for normal principal stress and 3.73% for normal principal strain. These findings make clear that the processes of validation and verification are essential for quantifying the uncertainties and evaluating the predictive capacities of computational models of physical structures. Keywords:Static analysis, mechanical design, structure, uncertainty, accuracy, precision.
Cite this article:	Carlos Urrego, Uriel Zapata , " Verification and validation of a finite element model of a human-powered vehicle chassis " , International Journal of Emerging Trends & Technology in Computer Science (IJETTCS), Volume 9, Issue 5, September - October 2020 , pp. 014-022 , ISSN 2278-6856.
Full Text [PDF] Home