Shell Eco-marathon

Strategy Team

Madison Engineering Capstone Project Report

submitted to the faculty of the Department of Engineering

at James Madison University

on May 6​th​, 2020

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for ENGR 332

by

​ Jonathan Amaya

Jordan Capelle

Francis Chval

Alejandro Mastrapa

Jordan Prax

Mark Rodriguez

Capstone Advisor(s)

Dr. R. Nagel

Dr. Prins
 Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION 2
1.1 Problem Statement 2
1.2 Broader Impacts 3
1.3 Report Overview 3

2 BACKGROUND RESEARCH 3
2.1 Current Vehicle Design 3
2.2 Racetrack 4
2.3 Fuel Efficiency 5
2.4 Mathematical Model Used for Vehicles 6
2.5 Data Acquisition & Sensors 7
3 STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS 9
4 REQUIREMENTS 10
5 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT 11
5.1 Concept Generation Methods 12
5.2 Concept Evaluation 13
5.3 Concept Selection 14
APPENDICES 17

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1 INTRODUCTION

The (Royal Dutch) Shell Oil Company is one of the largest oil-based companies in the world and
contributes greatly to the demand of fuel efficiency, alternative energy sources for transportation,
and various operational equipment. The company also allows young, motivated students to take
on the challenge of finding the best fuel-efficient design by hosting an annual competition known
as the Shell Eco-Marathon. Students from high schools and universities will design, create, and
compete in a run-by-trial based race to measure and quantify the fuel efficiency of their vehicles.
James Madison University’s Engineering Department will be participating in both the 2020 and
2021 Shell Eco-Marathon competitions using a previously created vehicle from the past team. As
current Juniors, the Shell Eco-Marathon Strategy team was created to assist in creating a
mathematical model that will inform and validate the driving strategy around the track and
design decisions made on the vehicle.

 1.1 Problem Statement

Transportation has contributed immensely to the emissions of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere. They have accounted for nearly 30% of all US greenhouse gas emissions in 2017,
according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Due to this alarming issue, fuel and
automotive industries have formulated different strategies to increase fuel-efficiency in vehicles.
However, what does it mean to be fuel-efficient? To be fuel-efficient, the vehicle must have the
ability to withdraw energy from a fuel in a positive energy to fuel ratio. There have been
standards put in place by federal governments to push fuel-efficiency improvements in vehicles,
and to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. Unfortunately, there has been a halt in progressing
the standards of fuel-efficiency in the US because of the transitions of presidential cabinets in the
last 3 years. The Shell company has brought this issue forward to students in high schools and
universities to work in coalescence with a platform of leading technological companies. The goal
is to produce vehicles that are fuel-efficient in various categories, such as, internal combustion
engines (ICE), hydrogen cell powered vehicles, electrical vehicles, and more. The James
Madison Engineering Supermileage team will compete in the Shell Eco-Marathon to pursue a
fuel-efficient vehicle in the ICE class by working strategically in efforts to achieve maximum
safety and performance.

The James Madison Engineering team is composed of two teams. The first team, which is the
Senior team, has the objective to build a fuel-efficient, safe, and drivable vehicle for the 2020
competition. The 2020 competition vehicle will then be handed off to the Junior team. The
Junior team’s objective is to design a mathematical model to study the behavior of the
fuel-efficient vehicle that can inform, and validate the driving strategy and the vehicle design.
This objective is due to the current problem where the team does not have a strategy to drive the
vehicle around the track nor the platform to analyze the performance of the fuel-efficient vehicle.
The strategic approach is intended to aid in analytically analyzing the vehicle to make
improvements for the 2021 Eco-Marathon competition.

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 1.2 Broader Impacts

The Shell Eco-Marathon encapsulates a different perspective on vehicles in which they are
strictly used for maximizing fuel efficiency. This means that various features that are custom to
passenger vehicles are sacrificed, such as air conditioning and passenger seating. However, the
embodiment of vehicle design and strategy is implemented through the mathematical model and
the competition’s vehicular prototype; therefore, inspiring the automotive industry to take
measures to create and carry out fuel-efficient designs and technologies.

The project creates an environmental awareness of carbon emissions and promotes the use of
sustainable transportation. The participation of the James Madison Engineering program in the
Shell competition informs students about the effects of carbon emissions in relation to climate
change. It also helps the students envision a future where mass-produced vehicles implement
technologies that enhance fuel-efficiency and therefore, helps preserve the safety of our
environment. The design decisions used for the competition’s vehicle prototype can serve as
motivation and inspiration for major car manufacturers to carry out fuel-efficient technologies,
and use it as leverage for other manufactures to employ similar or better designs.

The Shell Eco-Marathon capstone project will harness team collaboration, educational purpose,
and professional development for all members of the JMU’s Supermileage team. Members will
use their background knowledge and skills to develop a data driven design process that will
entail engineering ethics and principles to document the engineering design process in its entirety
through the various phases. By using this process, members can create a mathematical model to
determine the outputs of the vehicle when tested. The project will bring opportunities to
individual members in acquiring knowledge about the automotive industry while creating
awareness of a global fuel-efficiency problem. Investing time and work in the capstone project
will create a more aware engineer with well-rounded qualities that can be applied in various
disciplines in engineering.

 1.3 Report Overview

The remaining sections of this document will review and discuss the background research that
was assisted in establishing requirements and constraints. Following sections will discuss
requirements and the process in which they were performed, along with testing of several
concepts for verification and improvement. The process and development of the project team
such as defining roles, establishing leadership, and creating sub-teams to complete specific tasks
within the project will also be discussed. Finally, it will discuss further on the current status of
the project, and the future continuation of the capstone design project.

 
2 BACKGROUND RESEARCH
 2.1 Current Vehicle Design

External sources are reliable methods in finding better ways to improve fuel efficiency, the
design of the vehicle, and the overall performance of the vehicle during the Shell Eco-Marathon

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competition. However, a great starting point for making these improvements is to go directly to
the current vehicle to learn the functions and components of it.

The most recent information in regards to the performance of the vehicle dates back to 2019.
When looking over previous owners of the vehicle, it turns out that the team experienced trouble
with the power output being insufficient for the vehicle to function when going up an incline
during the competition [1]. After moving the vehicle out of the racetrack, and doing various
attempts in fixing the issue, the team was unable to complete a single trial. This, unfortunately,
eliminated the team from having a spot in the ranking system due to a lack of having a completed
run to determine the miles per gallon (mpg) the vehicle obtained. While the reasons for this
occurrence are currently unknown, a potential explanation is that there is an unregulated flow of
energy, fuel in this case, that is preventing proper power exertion to occur. Having a low fuel
pressure will cause improper injection of fuel for vehicles to run smoothly, causing it to stall out.
A fuel pressure regulator, a component used to help maintain steady flow, can be added into the
vehicle to assist it when it performs a drastic change in fuel demand [2]. By allowing this
component to exist within the system, the vehicle could potentially exceed the power it needs to
move past an inclined surface and optimize its fuel efficiency in the process.

Another factor that could have contributed to the vehicle stalling is a high value of road load
forces overpowering the power the car exerts. These road load forces are resistive forces that act
on a vehicle going at a constant speed. The forces accounted for include rolling resistance
(multiple factors that cause the wheels to maintain momentum), gradient rolling resistance (force
of the car’s weight on an incline), and drag resistance (air resistance that acts against the car’s
movement) [3]. These forces are directly related to the power a vehicle needs to overcome to
make it move [4]. These forces can be changed, and reduced by modifying the properties of the
car, such as the frontal area of the car or the materials in which the wheels are made of. By
choosing the materials and components to help reduce these forces, the vehicle can be able to
overcome the road load forces, and not have to use too much power [5].

 2.2 Racetrack

Data regarding the racetrack such as location, elevation, length, and degrees of turns are crucial
when creating a mathematical model for a vehicle traversing the course. The following
information is provided to contextualize the competition, inform design decisions and aid in the
creation of a mathematical model. The Shell Eco-Marathon Americas in the year 2020 will take
place at the Sonoma Raceway located at 29355 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, California 95476, USA
[6].

Before being changed into a racetrack, the 1600-acre plot of land was a farm and approximately
3000 sheep use the land today to graze and act as grass maintenance. The course has multiple
variations that slightly change the overall distance and radii of various curvatures in the track.
The competition’s course map is shown below in Figure 1.​ T ​ he competition will be on a chosen
route that is approximately 1450 meters (0.9 miles). When analyzing the previous team’s GPS
data of the track, converted into a linearized format, the maximum and minimum points of
elevation can be captured and referenced to in the mathematical model.

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 ​ :​ Sonoma Racetrack’s
Figure 1[7] Figure 2: 2 dimensional GPS elevation map of 2019
competition circuit shown in competition.
black.

Weather conditions have a large impact on various aspects of vehicles including, but not limited
to, engine performance, tire grip and fuel consumption [8]. For the purposes of this project,
reducing fuel consumption and maintaining a safe driving atmosphere are the main concerns.
The competition will take place in April 2020 where the temperature ranges from the low forties
at night to the low nineties during the day [9]. When operating the vehicle and traversing the
course, there are minimum and maximum speeds that are required for the competition that
govern the attack angle for corners to ensure safety. There are various spline paths i.e. a function
defined by polynomials, that can be driven to reduce fuel consumption. For these splines to be
optimal, aspects of the track such as elevation change, curvature, and grip must be accounted for
as well as aspects of the vehicle such as the tire grip, the center of gravity, and velocity [10].
Incorporating all the variables of the track, the weather, and the vehicle will allow for a
mathematical model to be produced that maximizes fuel-efficiency and safety for all participants
of the competition.

 
2.3 Fuel Efficiency

Vehicular transportation has had a significant impact worldwide in social interactions,

distribution of products and services, and the implementation as a lifestyle. Due to consumer
demands in the last 18 years, There has been an increase in the automobile production for
passenger cars by 29 million in the year 2018 compared to the year 2000 [11]. However, this
increase has brought major concerns in efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and
increase fuel-efficiency. The importance of having fuel efficiency standards, comparing fuel
types, and realizing the effects of vehicle design and use on fuel efficiency can contribute to a
safer environment and a more reliable method of transportation.

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A main reason why automakers in the United States are striving for higher fuel efficiency ratings
is to meet the standards set by Obama’s administration in 2012 of “increasing fuel of cars and
light-duty trucks to 46.7 miles per gallon by model year 2025 [12].” This would be an increase
from the 35 mpg average in vehicles today. However, there are current debates with ratification
of the past administration with Trump’s administration; furthermore, in its stagnation point, the
EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration held the existing levels of 35 mpg
as a norm for models of the years 2020 through 2026 [12]. This would create a delay in having a
standard for fuel efficiency, but concerns have been made to the state of California, a progressive
state advocating for fuel efficiency, in that automakers want to unify a standard among both
administrations that will allow them to implement their new technologies and achieve yearly
improvements in fuel economy.

For the purpose of the Junior and Senior Shell Eco-Marathon teams, ethanol fuel and gasoline
will be discussed. Ethanol has not been popularized in the automotive industry as of now, but it
has been used as an additive which raises the awareness of renewable sources [13]. Ethanol when
compared to gasoline has a higher-octane rating which indicates a better blending property and
helps preserve engine life [13]. Furthermore, ethanol contains less energy than gasoline; this
property makes it to be less fuel-efficient, but the tradeoff is an increase in power and
performance [14]. The category in which JMU participates for the Shell competition is ICE. The
type of fuel that will be used is regular unleaded gas with an octane rating of 87. One must be
careful when handling gasoline, as it is highly flammable. However, it is considered to be
“environmentally-friendly” because it contains less lead compounds [14]. When compared to
higher octane ratings of gasoline, the grade 87 gas will have a lower peak performance compared
to 89, 90, and 93.

A common question among the team members is, what factors affect fuel efficiency? Interesting
enough, the way that one drives is a huge factor in fuel efficiency. Aggressive driving is defined
as braking hard, accelerating fast, and driving fast in general [15]. This is due to
aerodynamic drag, a force that opposes a vehicle’s motion through a fluid. The shape and design
are factors of aerodynamic drag as the cross-sectional area is considered. It is important to keep
up to date on the mechanical functionalities of the vehicle, or better known as maintenance. Tire
pressure in a vehicle must meet specifications to decrease the rolling resistance as well as
replacing filters when needed to make sure fuel and lubrication is working properly. The tuning
of engine compartments, such as the computer, gives the function inputs and outputs when
handling and can ensure a balance among vehicle components to increase performance;
therefore, maximizing reliability and fuel-efficiency [16].

 2.4 Mathematical Model Used for Vehicles

Mathematical models offer a variety of paths to analyze almost anything, in this case it would be
analyzing a vehicle. In constructing a mathematical model, one must understand how the model
will be used, what components go into building a model, what components come out of a model,
and asking why the model is important for such an application. This section will explain how
mathematical models were used in various vehicle situations, and what was learned through and
from the models.

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The core of this capstone project is the mathematical model, where it will be designed to view
the vehicle analytically and inform necessary iterations on the vehicle as the Shell Eco-Marathon
competition arrives. Understanding what a mathematical model is, what components go into a
mathematical model, and why the model is important to the project are reasons that will help
guide understanding a mathematical model inside and out. A mathematical model supports
predicting the vehicle’s performance prior to construction and testing [17]. The elements of a
model are endless, depending on what the model’s purpose is.

In this capstone design project, a focus in constructing this model is determining the outputs such
as mpg, power, and velocity the vehicle experiences at certain points on the track. The majority
of the model goes back to vehicle dynamics, where it analyzes various aspects of the vehicle, and
the forces that are acting on the vehicle such as the force of rolling resistance, aerodynamic drag,
and gradient due to the elevation change. In other aspects, the model is useful in inquiring the
functioning of the vehicle’s handling and stability [18]. The environment of which the vehicle is
being tested in is also very important. A starting point which may be helpful is assuming the
vehicle is in a “perfect” environment (i.e. flat road, no frictional forces, standard atmospheric
pressure, etc.) where a roller bench test may be useful in testing the vehicle because the body of
the vehicle is stationary while only the tires are rotating on rollers [19]. The Federal University
of Pernambuco in Brazil took analysis further using the mathematical model through
thermodynamics, considering the chemical composition of the fuel, the pressure, and temperature
in the crankshaft [20].

The results from the mathematical model, in this capstone design project, will help determine
design decisions towards the vehicle in the competition. While model functions will vary, a
dynamic model that was designed for a vehicle’s navigation system used its results of the model
to approximate the position and velocity of the vehicle, including errors that may occur[21].
Istvån Lakatos and Péter Öri concluded that the belt drive of the vehicle has a major downfall
when evaluating the effective execution of vehicles with free acceleration [18]. In this capstone
design project, the model will be referenced from the previous vehicle to inform design decisions
in testing the new vehicle being prepared for competition. That being said, understanding the
mathematical model is key for the Strategy Team because the process requires dissecting
everything and analyzing how those components work individually and as a system.

 
2.5 Data Acquisition & Sensors

The Shell Eco-Marathon Strategy Team will be working on data driven design, primarily using a
mathematical model to estimate the forces acting on the vehicle. To construct this model, data
must be collected through a data acquisition (DAQ) device that will retrieve readings from
multiple sensors throughout the vehicle. The sensors are the first point of feedback and must be
assessed to be successfully applied. Using this data, the Strategy team will be able to optimize
the components of the vehicle which are represented as parameters within the model subsystems.

The DAQ system is based off of the device used to collect the analog signal inputs and transfer
them to the digital outputs. With this in mind, the Strategy team has decided to reuse the

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National Instruments USB-6210 from the Senior team. The specification sheet [22] provides
information on its performance, and will help provide justification for its use. It is crucial to
understand the limitations and tolerances for measurement capabilities of the system as this is the
one thing that should remain constant when troubleshooting measurement outputs. The sensors
that are used as inputs to the system are what can be changed much more easily and provide a
much more profound effect on the accuracy of measurement.

Some of the main types of sensors benchmarked are gyroscopic and positioning sensors. The use
of these sensors are essential to nearly all dynamic vehicles with onboard control systems. One
of the first instances of these sensors are described in the patent for a Miniaturized Inertial
Measurement Unit [23]. This feedback is important to DAQ systems as it provides the system
with measurement information with respect to x, y, and z axis that can be calibrated to represent
real world positioning. However, this unit is not simply a singular sensor but rather a
representative of an entire DAQ unit. This is because its sensor inputs include temperature,
gyroscopic data, accelerometers, inclination, and a magnetometer. As with the current DAQ
system, this can be analyzed externally by calibrating the sensor output to a respective supply
voltage. However, the sensors instead lead to something known as a Kalman Filter (KF), which
has tasks such as error correction of gyroscopes, velocity and position integration, attitude
integration, heading measurement and correction, and inclination angles correction. The outputs
of the KF are given as a change in time, velocity, and angle, as well as acceleration in each
dimension, positioning estimate, heading, attitude, pitch/roll, and angular rates in each
dimension. This module is essential to the autonomous control of any vehicle, and can be used as
user feedback in the case of a vehicle with dependent controls. Overall, the data and functions
from the sensors will provide accurate data on the parameters of the mathematical model.

When taking account of engine characteristics, we must be able to analyze as many aspects as
possible. This can be very difficult due to the sensitive nature of the internal combustion engine;
however, indirect data can be attributed to engine characteristics. This is seen in the Apparatus
for Detecting the Injection Timing of an Internal Combustion Engine [24], showing timing
measurement techniques without impeding the functionality or performance of the engine. The
injector timing is a mechanized output that is attached to check the valve of the injector body
which acts on a switch and outputs an electrical signal. This electrical signal can then be
analyzed using an oscilloscope or a simple lamp for visual representation and comparison. This
method is required to be used with older mechanical injection engines; however, the Strategy
team can simply tap into the wiring for the electronic injector and read its output. For
visualization context of the output, the oscilloscope is used as a means for allowing the
comparison of other various graphs while changing the function outputs on the axis.

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3 STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS

The Junior Shell Eco-marathon Strategy team will be working under the advisory, resources, and
facilities of James Madison University. Furthermore, the team is representing the engineering
program, as it is the source for much of the support and knowledge which is applied in the
competitive project. The design process that has been taught in the program is an example of this
and will be applied to inform and validate decisions. These decisions will be evaluated over time
and influenced by advisors within the engineering faculty, consisting of Dr. R Nagel and Dr.
Prins, thanks to their expertise in mechanical engineering, and years of experience in the
industry. We also plan to communicate with professional members of the Society of Automotive
Engineers (SAE) community, and the Madison Automotive Apprentice Program (MAAP) to gain
insight about quantitative and qualitative attributes associated with competition vehicles and
mathematical models.

A stakeholder power and interest graph shown in Figure 3 was created to visualize the position
of the stakeholders, and identify whom to communicate with in the course of the project. Both
Junior and Senior Shell Eco-marathon teams were placed in the highest ranking as they identify
as designers for the fuel-efficient vehicle. The Junior and Senior teams as a whole make the
ultimate decisions to determine what qualities will show improvement for the competition.
Guiding the project are the advisors, being that their role is to advise, guide, and evaluate the
team’s progress. Their interest (as with the engineering department) is high and their influence is
valued highly, as deliverables will need to be submitted to them. Future students are stakeholders
to take into account as the current design and data that is collected is handed off to the next
graduating class; however, future students do not know about the project until they are immersed
in the environment; therefore, there is little to no power and influence towards the success of the
project.

As the host for the competition, the Shell company’s staff and management has a high interest in
the entirety of the project for all competitors as their purpose is to have participants achieve high
fuel-efficiency and demonstrate innovative technologies to partners. Their influence on the
project is strictly through the rules and regulations set for the competition that must be followed
in the vehicle design. MAAP and SAE will be resources which we can use to gather information
when needed but have no direct affiliation with JMU’s Supermileage team; however, they both
encourage vehicle safety and performance. Dr. Woodruff and Les Welch will be regarded as
consultants through the project as their expertise and suggestions will be considered. Les Welch
is an expert on mechanical parts that are largely used in the vehicle for the 2020 competition and
Dr. Woodruff is a math professor at JMU that is an expert in applied mathematics.

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 Figure 3: Influence and interest graph of stakeholders.

4 REQUIREMENTS

With every project that comes into action, there are requirements that either must or should be
fulfilled. A majority of the requirements accumulated were taken from the 2020 Rules and
Regulations [25] provided by Shell for the competition. This list is included with other
requirements that were made for the capstone design project in Appendix 1. These requirements
are put in place to maintain fairness and safety throughout the competition. The main categories
from the 2020 Rules and Regulations which pertain to our design requirements are Driver and
Equipment, General Safety, and Vehicle Design. The requirements that are unique to the
Strategy team focuses heavily on the mathematical model that will have to be completed by late
March 2020 shown on Table 1. Other requirements that are factored in come from stakeholders,
which are taken into account to ensure that the needs and standards of the stakeholders are being
met. The requirements set by the Senior team are to ensure that their racing strategy for the 2020
competition is at its best, while the Junior team’s requirements are focused on making valid
design decisions for the future 2021 competition. The requirements expected from Dr. Nagel are
set to ensure that the Strategy team is staying on track and completing tasks appropriately.

The project objective is to design a mathematical model to study the behavior of the
fuel-efficient vehicle to inform and validate the driving strategy and vehicle design. The aim of
the Strategy team is to use the mathematical model to improve upon the 2020 Shell
Eco-marathon vehicle, designed by the Senior team, for the 2021 year. The Strategy team split
into three groups to apprentice the drive train, chassis, and data acquisitions sub-teams to bring
together information and data to aid in the construction of the mathematical model. The design of
the mathematical model is owned by the architectural engineer in the Strategy team, Mark
Rodriguez, and requirements are revised and checked to determine the success of the project.

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 Table 1: High Priority Project Requirement Table.
Requirement Type Source Justification Verification Method(s)
The mathematical Criteria, The Junior The driving strategy in The driving strategy is
model should inform & Functional Shell-Eco the competition is a tailored to the competition
validate the speed, Marathon factor of the fuel and works after informed
acceleration, braking, Strategy efficiency of the outputs were received from
and points of turning Team prototype vehicle. the mathematical model.
around the
competition’s racetrack
for optimum fuel
efficiency.

The mathematical Criteria, The Junior The design of the The mathematical model has
model should inform & Non Shell-Eco vehicle, such as, the proved that a certain design
validate physical functional Marathon chassis and drivetrain is a decision will improve results
design decisions on the Strategy factor contributing to by changing the variables
vehicle in order to Team fuel-efficiency. and analyzing the output.
improve
fuel-efficiency.

The mathematical Constraint, Jonathan Vehicle dynamic Equations and inputs such as
model must use Non Amaya equations will serve as rolling resistance and power
geometric data from Functional inputs for the model and are entered in the script as
the chassis of the will help in well as the data collected
vehicle as a parameter. parameterizing the from the runs (Velocity and
model. RPMs).

The mathematical Constraint, Drivetrain In order to precisely The outputs gathered from
model must incorporate Functional Subteam compare the the mathematical model will
general inertia and mathematical model to follow data trends collected
frictional losses acting data collected when from sensors after trial runs.
on the vehicle chassis running; losses must be
and drivetrain. taken into account.

The mathematical Constraint, The Junior The driver must be able With this requirement in
model should Functional Shell to know when to change place, the vehicle should
accurately predict Eco-Maratho speed in order to use the have a higher fuel efficiency
moments of n team least amount of fuel. than use without the
acceleration and mathematical model.
deceleration of the
vehicle along the track
for optimum fuel
efficiency.

5 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Before a design can be determined for the project team to start creating prototypes, there must be
a pool of concepts to consider that would satisfy project requirements. This is what the concept
development phase of the design process entails. Concepts are generated through various

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methods to have multiple ideas that can then be evaluated in reference to requirements. The
evaluation method plays an important role in narrowing the options and gives the opportunity to
think critically about the requirements to decide if they need refinement. At the end, there will be
a single or a set of concept alternatives to pursue further and contain justifications on why that is.
Concepts not chosen from the selection process can be seen in Appendix 2.

A tool that was used to get familiar with the topic of the capstone project was the creation of a
functional model. The Simulink functional model shown on Figure 4 depicts the data that is
available in the enterprise and will be imported on to the simulink interface through MATLAB
commands in efforts of modeling the fuel-efficient vehicle. Inside the simulink model,
connections between the subsystems such as chassis and drivetrain will describe the flow of data
as energy links to ultimately give data outputs of kinematic values, vehicle performance, and
losses of the vehicle.

Figure 4: Simulink functional model.

 5.1 Concept Generation Methods

Given the highlighted requirements, concepts for solutions are then generated through methods
that aim towards quantity or quality for the pool of concepts. These generation methods include
the use of concept sketching and concept maps as they were most useful in regards to the
strategy team’s objective. All ideas are welcomed when generating concepts but they must
correlate to the functional model in the flow of energy and what is available to reach the end
goal. After the concepts were generated and communicated to the group members, feedback was
received prior to structuring the concept onto the interfaces of Simulink and Solidworks as a step
to commence the concept evaluation stage.

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To get a general idea of how the fuel-efficient vehicle comprises the different components, a
concept sketch, shown in Figure 5, was created in efforts to understand the vehicle in its
simplicity. The transparent box signifies the chassis with connections inside with different
components of the drivetrain, wheels, differentials, and moments of inertia. Inspiration for this
concept sketch was obtained from one of the books the advisors recommended [26]. Figure 6 is
another generated concept, but was made using the concept map method. The map’s main focus
point is the Vehicle Math Model Outcomes, where this will be the expected outcomes from the
mathematical model such as fuel consumption, power, and velocity. This is further expanded into
the three subsystems of the vehicle: Chassis, Drivetrain, and DAQ. The various components
extending from each subsystem are various data​ ​ verification techniques that may be used to
gather data that can model the respected subsystem.

Figure 6: Vehicle model outcomes concept map.

Figure 5: Fuel-efficient vehicle
computer aided concept sketch.

 5.2 Concept Evaluation

After generating several concepts for the structural layout of the mathematical model, the team
must select one that will best benefit the project. Since the amount generated made it difficult in
selecting the best concept, we decided to narrow the amount by using concept evaluation
techniques. Doing this not only made the selection of the concept easier, but it will also avoid
implementing ones that did not contribute to solving the team’s problem statement. A Go/No Go
process was used based on an absolute requirement, which is a constraint that must be met to
successfully meet the model’s needs and achieve the project objective. By performing this

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process, the team was able to determine the concepts that met the requirement. At the conclusion
of this process, only three concepts were left to be selected upon. Despite that, the Shell
Eco-Marathon Strategy team is developing a mathematical model of a vehicle to evaluate the
concept car. The nature of this makes evaluating the concepts for the mathematical model with a
mathematical model difficult due to the model being a model, and not a physical design that can
assist in determining ratings for the remaining concepts. The team decided to perform further
evaluation techniques to ensure that the concept selected will truly meet the given criteria, and
accomplish the requirements needed for the mathematical model. Appendix 3 shows more
information about the concept evaluation phase of the design process.

 5.3 Concept Selection

Each member of the team individually used the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to select the
best concepts. The AHP process allows engineers to select concepts based on an analytical
process as described within the engineering design textbook [27]. This is the most unbiased
method of concept selection and it is highly informative due to its weighting system. The concept
criteria are weighted with respect to one another to reflect relative importance. Once this has
been completed, the design alternatives can then be scored for each criteria. Again, this is done
with respect to one another to reflect relative importance. The output of these processes is a score
for each design alternative which is unitless and simply used to show the level of adherence to
criteria. After the team individually performed the AHP method we compared the results, as
shown in Table 5 of Appendix 4. Each team member reported their individual best design
alternative along with an average {W} and amount of criteria used. This allows for the
comparison of results with some sort of knowledge of the techniques which make up the scoring.
The comparison showed that the designs in Figures 5 and 10 were the most often picked by team
members, along with the most impactful scoring techniques used in the process. Each team
member with a design alternative for the concept agreed to these results, as the chosen concept
either was not used in their scoring and was still a valid alternative or was one of their other high
scoring alternatives.
The final concept was then applied to the mathematical model structure as closely as possible.
Some changes had to be made in order for it to accommodate some key sensors that were not
initially described, such as the PowerTap rear hub. Despite the success of this model, it did not
clearly display outputs as well as other concepts, leading us to apply some aspects of other
design alternatives. More specifically, team members agreed that the design alternative shown in
Figure 10 displayed outputs best and these were then used in the mathematical model structure.
The concept, along with slight modifications, proved to be a key foundation for progress in the
mathematical model. This is essential to providing team members and stakeholders with a basic
understanding of the structure.

REFERENCES

14
[1] JMU Supermileage (2016). Updates on the 2019 Competition. Retrieved from
https://jmusupermileage.wixsite.com/jmusupermileage/updates

[2] Nuke Performance. How does a Fuel Pressure Regulator work? Retrieved from
https://www.nukeperformance.com/faq-fuelpressureregulator.html

[3] The Car Tech. Road Loads. Retrieved from

http://www.thecartech.com/subjects/auto_eng/Road_loads.htm

[4] UNSW Sydney Car Physics: Some Problems. Retrieved from

https://www.animations.physics.unsw.edu.au/jw/car-physics.htm

[5] Wilson, D. (2004). Bicycling Science: The MIT Press (3rd edition).

[6] Raceway Info. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://web.archive.org/web/20130118120109/http://www.racesonoma.com/raceway/about/smi/​.

[7] Shell Eco-Marathon Americas. “Sonoma Race Track Details.” Email message to Jordan Prax,
October 16, 2019

[8] Abdul-Ghaniyu Adeniyi, A., & Mohammed, A. (2012). Eco-marathon Car Driving Pattern
and Miles Per Gallon. Eco-Marathon Car Driving Pattern and Miles Per Gallon, 246–252.

[9] Matrosov, S. Y., Ralph, F. M., Neiman, P. J., & White, A. B. (2014). Quantitative
Assessment of Operational Weather Radar Rainfall Estimates over California’s Northern
Sonoma County Using HMT-West Data. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 15(1), 393–410. doi:
10.1175/jhm-d-13-045.1.

[10] Mühlmeier, M., & Müller, N. (n.d.). Optimisation of the Driving Line on a Race Track. doi:
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03246771

[11] Beginners guide to tuning: TUNING. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2019, from
https://www.hkspower.co.jp/en/tuning/index.html​.

[12] Business Radio. (n.d.). Why Automakers Are Driving for Uniform Fuel Efficiency
Standards. Retrieved October 7, 2019, from
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[13] Ethanol Fuel Basics. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2019, from

https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_fuel_basics.html​.

[14] App, C. A. K. N. O. W. (2017, November 30). How It Works: Regular vs Unleaded Gas.
Retrieved October 8, 2019, from

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https://medium.com/@caknowapp/how-it-works-regular-vsunleaded-gas-ddf02a5bb58​.

[15] Many Factors Affect Fuel Economy. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2019, from
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/factors.shtml​.

[16] Production Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2019, from

http://www.oica.net/category/production-statistics/2018-statistics/​.

[17] Kabiraj, K., & Bhaumik, A. (2014). Mathematical modeling for vehicle dynamics, steady
state cornering performance prediction using nonlinear tire data employing a four-wheel model.
Second International Conference on Current Trends In Engineering and Technology - ICCTET
2014. doi: 10.1109/ICCTET.2014.6966270

[18] Lakatos, I., & Ori, P. (2017). Diagnostic measurement and data evaluation for the effective
performance of motor vehicles with free acceleration. 2017 IEEE 15th International Symposium
on Intelligent Systems and Informatics (SISY). doi: 10.1109/SISY.2017.8080556

[19] Ahmed, A. A., & Emheisen, M. (2019). Analysis of Vehicle Handling Using a Simple Track
Model of Automobiles. 2019 19th International Conference on Sciences and Techniques of
Automatic Control and Computer Engineering (STA). doi: 10.1109/STA.2019.8717244

[20] Magnani, F. S., Andrade, G. M. D., & Willmersdorf, R. B. (2017). Influence of

mathematical simplifications on the dynamic and energetic performance of an engine/motorcycle
integrated model. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, 46(2), 138–157.
doi: 10.1177/0306419017720425

[21] Zhao, Y., Yang, Z., Song, C., & Xiong, D. (2018). Vehicle dynamic model-based integrated
navigation system for land vehicles. 2018 25th Saint Petersburg International Conference on
Integrated Navigation Systems (ICINS). doi: 10.23919/ICINS.2018.8405846

[22] National Instruments (2017). Datasheet & Specifications, USB-6210 16 AI (16-Bit, 250
kS/s), 4 DI, 4 DO USB Multifunction I/O Device, ​http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/375194d.pdf

[23] Tanenhaus, M. (2012). Miniaturized Inertial Measurement Unit and Associated Methods,
United States Patent, Patent No. US 8,239,162 B2

[24] Oshima, Y. (1971). Apparatus for Detecting the Injection Timing of an Internal Combustion
Engine, United States Patent, Patent No. US 3,596,507

[25] Shell Eco-Marathon. Shell Eco-Marathon Americas 2020 Official Rules Chapter II.
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cr_content/par/textimage.stream/1581171896843/35929e42da7105aff4e15e7a202c20646d7c0fcd
/sem-americas-2020-chapter-two-final.pdf

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[26] Rill, G. (2012). Road Vehicle Dynamics: Fundamentals and Modeling. CRC Press, Taylor
& Francis Group, LLC.

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Companies, 286-298.

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Full List of Requirements

This list includes requirements found within the 2020 Rules and Regulations as well as
requirements specifically made for the mathematical model. Appendix 1 is here due to the large
amount of requirements that are involved in this capstone design project. Including this much in
Section 4 not only runs a risk in exceeding the maximum page number allowed, but does not
help focus on the requirements that were made through other means such as the requirements for
the mathematical model.

Table 2: Full List of Project Requirements.

Requirement Type Source Justification Verification Method(s)
The mathematical Criteria, The Junior The driving strategy in The driving strategy is
model should inform & Functional Shell-Eco the competition is a tailored to the competition
validate the driving Marathon factor of the fuel and works after informed
strategy around the Strategy Team efficiency of the outputs were received from
competition’s prototype vehicle. the mathematical model.
racetrack.

The mathematical Criteria, The Junior The design of the The mathematical model has
model should inform & Non Shell-Eco vehicle, such as, the proved that a particular
validate design functional Marathon chassis and drivetrain design decision will improve
decisions on the Strategy Team is a factor contributing results by changing the
fuel-efficient vehicle. to fuel-efficiency. variables and analyzing the
output.

The mathematical Constraint, Dr. R Nagel The model will help Used at the Sonoma
model must be used at Non and the Shell evaluate the test run racetrack after the testing
the 2020 Sonoma functional Eco-marathon and actual competition laps and after the
racetrack competition Team run at Sonoma. competition. The results
to determine reliability. make sense according to
individual data collected.

The mathematical Criteria, Dr. R Nagel This will allow for the Every assigned section of
model design should Non different subteams to the mathematical model
have all the different Functional organize their part and script has names and
categories of code will give structure to descriptions of the code in
labeled according to the design as an organized manner (%).
the apprenticing ownership over certain
program setup. lines in the script are
established.

17
The mathematical Constraint, Jonathan Vehicle dynamic Equations and inputs such as
model must use vehicle Non Amaya equations will serve as rolling resistance and power
dynamic performance Functional inputs for the model are entered in the script as
as a parameter. and will help in well as the data collected
parameterizing the from the runs (Velocity and
model. RPMs).

The mathematical Constraint, Jonathan The engine power Dimensions of the vehicle
model must use vehicle Non Amaya delivered to the wheel have been inputted as well as
structure/architecture Functional and aerodynamic drag main drivetrain and engine
as a parameter. coefficients will be mechanic equations to
inputted as they are calculate power and
design characteristics aerodynamic drag.
of the vehicle.

The mathematical Constraint, Jonathan From data collected Data for braking, rpms,
model must use vehicle Non Amaya from the vehicle, data velocity, and acceleration
behavior/function as a Functional such as braking are inputted as vehicle
parameter. distance and behavior to determine
acceleration are fuel-efficiency ratings. A
features that will be test is also done by
reported to the Shell calculating 2 equations by
company as a hand and confirming with
deliverable for the MATLAB outputs.
inspection and will
contribute to the
success of the vehicle.

The mathematical Constraint, Dr. Woodruff The mathematical Developing a checklist of

model must include Non model is meant for the the various parameters on
appropriate inputs and Functional fuel-efficient vehicle, the physical fuel-efficient
outputs to reflect the therefore the model is vehicle and comparing them
parameters of the car to solely focusing on to the parameters within the
relay the performance parameters from the mathematical model.
of the fuel-efficient fuel-efficient vehicle.
vehicle.

The mathematical Constraint, Dr. Woodruff This is to ensure that Dr. Woodruff, or another
model must be Non the model stays person familiar with
organized in Functional organized and is easy MATLAB, should be able to
subroutines. to follow. easily read the coding.

The mathematical Constraint, Drivetrain In order to precisely The outputs gathered from
model must incorporate Functional Subteam compare the the mathematical model will
general inertia and mathematical model to follow data trends collected
frictional losses acting data collected when from sensors after trial runs.
on the vehicle body running; losses must
and drivetrain. be taken into account.

The Powertap hub Criteria, The Junior The model will output The modeled data curves
should be used as Non Shell necessary power will align with Powertap
feedback to validate the Functional Eco-Marathon requirements and the data curves.
modeled power output. team Powertap hub will be

18
 used to check against
actual performance.

Raw sensor output Constraint, Francis Chval The model will run External test equipment is
must be filtered prior to Functional inaccurately if it is used to create and validate
mathematical model given raw data which sensor calibration curves.
input. contains outliers and
erroneous data.

The mathematical Constraint, The Junior The driver must be With this requirement in
model should Functional Shell able to know when to place, the vehicle should
accurately predict Eco-Marathon change speed in order have a higher fuel efficiency
moments of team to use the least amount than use without the
acceleration and of fuel. mathematical model.
deceleration of the
vehicle for optimum
fuel efficiency.

The vehicle body Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Test panels and windows in
panels and windows Non Rules and competition wind tunnel
must be rigid and must Functional Regulations
not change shape due
to wind.

The bulkhead must Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Driver tests accessibility
prevent manual access Non Rules and competition from seated position
to the energy Functional Regulations
compartment by the
driver.

The sound level of the Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Auditory calculations and
vehicle must not Non Rules and competition testing
exceed 90 dBA when Functional Regulations
measured 4 meters
away from the vehicle.

The fuel tank capacity Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Measurements from fuel
must be either 30,100, Non Rules and competition tank
or 250 cc. Functional Regulations

The vehicle must Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Installation of components
contain a clutch system Functional Rules and competition
with an effective Regulations
transmission chain or
belt guard(s).

The battery must be Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Calculations and testing
short-circuit protected. Non Rules and competition
Functional Regulations

The roll bar must be Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Solidworks Calculations and
able to withstand a Non Rules and competition Statics testing
static load of 700 N (~ Functional Regulations

19
70 kg) applied in a
vertical, horizontal,
and/or perpendicular
direction, without
deforming in any
direction.

The roll bar must Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Measurement of final chassis
extend in width beyond Non Rules and competition
the driver’s shoulders Functional Regulations
when seated in the
normal driving position
with the safety belts
fastened.

The vehicle chassis Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Measurement of final chassis
must be equipped with Non Rules and competition
an effective roll bar Functional Regulations
that extends 50 mm
around the driver’s
helmet when seated in
the normal driving
position with the safety
belts fastened.

The vehicle must be Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Visual checks
fully covered. Non Rules and competition
Functional Regulations

The vehicle must have Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Visual Checks
a solid floor and frame Non Rules and competition
that prevents any part Functional Regulations
of the driver’s body
from contacting the
ground.

The vehicle must be Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Measurement of mirrors
equipped with a Non Rules and competition
rear-view mirror on Functional Regulations
each side of the
vehicle, each with a
minimum surface area
of 2500 mm² (e.g. 50
mm x 50 mm).

The Driver must have Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Measurement of visibility by
access to a direct arc of Non Rules and competition driver’s orders
visibility ahead and to Functional Regulations
90° on each side of the
longitudinal axis of the
vehicle.

The safety harness Constraint, Shell 2020 Required for Test harness with driver

20
 must be able to Functional Rules and competition laying across it
withstand a 70-kg load. Regulations

Appendix 2: Concepts Made from Concept Generation

The following figures (Figures 7- 14) are concepts that were generated using generating methods
during the development phase of the design process. These concepts were based off of selected
requirements, and went through both concept evaluation and selection. However, these concepts
did not make it the final selection process, but are shown here to demonstrate the list created
pertaining to this capstone design project.

Figure 7: Initial concept 1 using concept map.

Figure 8: Initial concept 2 using concept map.

Figure 9: Initial concept 3 using concept map.

​Figure 10: Initial concept 4 using concept map.

21
Figure 11. Initial concept 5 using concept map.

Figure 12. Initial concept 6 using concept map

Figure 13. Initial concept 7 using concept map.

22
 Figure 14. Initial concept 8 using concept map.

Appendix 3: Concept Evaluation Process

The following figures and tables showcase the process used to evaluate initial concepts to reduce
the amount to a more reasonable number, which will be further evaluated in the evaluation
process. Figures 5, 12 and 10 below are the three concepts that made it through the Go/No Go
process, and were used to perform further concept evaluation, and the final concept selection for
the design project. Table 3 demonstrates the Go/No Go process used to reduce concepts by using
an absolute requirement as the criteria. Table 4 shows the high priority requirements used as
criteria to further evaluate the concepts, and make a final selection on which concepts will
perform the best.

Figure 12: Concept Map of Mathematical Model Subsystems.

23
Figure 5: Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Computer Aided Sketch.

Figure 10: Subsystem Configuration Concept Map.

24
 Table 3: Go/No Go Process used for Rating Concepts.
Criteria

Rating 1 2

The mathematical model Go No, Go

must use vehicle
structure/architecture as a
parameter.

Concept 1 ✔

Concept 2 ✔

Concept 3 ✔

Table 4: Criteria Generated using High Priority Requirements.

Criteria Type Source Member Assigned

The mathematical model should inform & Criteria, The Junior Shell-Eco Alejandro
validate the driving strategy around the Functional Marathon Strategy
competition’s racetrack. Team

The parameter inputs in the mathematical Constraint, Non Jonathan Amaya Jonathan
model must be documented for reference. Functional

The mathematical model should inform Criteria, The Junior Shell-Eco Mark
and validate the speed, acceleration, Functional Marathon Strategy
braking, and points of turning around the Team
competition’s racetrack for optimum fuel
efficiency.

The mathematical model must use vehicle Constraint, Non Jonathan Amaya Jordan Prax
structure/architecture as a parameter. Functional

The mathematical model must use vehicle Constraint, Non Jonathan Amaya Jordan Capelle
behavior/function as a parameter. Functional

The mathematical Constraint, Drivetrain Francis

model must incorporate Functional Subteam
general inertia and
frictional losses acting
on the vehicle body and
drivetrain.

Appendix 4: Concept Selection Process

The following table, Table 5, shows the results of which concept received the best score for each
individual of the team. The concept selection technique used to determine which scored better

25
was the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Due to more than one concept being selected twice
by the team members, two concepts tied in from the result of using AHP.

Table 5: Results of Performing AHP for each Individual Member of the Team.
Concept that Won from Individual Assignment Average # of Member
{W} Criteria Responsible
used

0.1 10 Mark

0.25 5 Alejandro

0.167 6 Francis

26
0.399 5 Jonathan

0.167 6 Jordan Prax

0.167 6 Jordan
Capelle

27