Design Calculation of Frame

Mg Aung Ko Latt

Abstract— The frame is an essential part of the automobiles. In this

paper, the design concepts for Landcruiser frame are briefly Channel Box Tubular
described. The frame is more affected by vertical dynamic load
comparing other components because it is the most important Hat
member as a contact mechanism with road. The Landcruiser frame Hat
has to be analyzed by fatigue strength analysis. The design stress is
checked for vertical loads. The Landcruiser frame is composed with
two side beams and four cross beams in box section for the purpose
of withstanding both bending and torsion moments. The length of
Landcruiser frame is 4930 mm and the greatest width is 1170 mm as
defined by Toyota Landcruiser. Mean stress and alternating stress are Figure 1. Section of Frame
plotted in Goodman diagram to decide whether they have sufficient
fatigue strength. The material of frame is SS400 ( rolled steel ) and The Landcruiser frame is composed with two side
the cross section of frame is hollow rectangular. beams and four cross beams in box section for the purpose of
withstanding both bending and torsion moments.
Keywords— Fatigue Strength, Vertical Loads, Goodman Diagram,
Safety Factor
IV. DESIGN OF SIDE BEAMS
(i) Bending Case
I. INTRODUCTION The weight of the car body, engine and radiator are

A utomobile is the essential part of today’s transport. A

frame is the main structure of an automobile chassis.
All other components fasten to it. The frame supports the
transmitted to side beams at the contact points as concentrated
loads and the weight of the minor components of the vehicle
including passengers are transmitted to side beam as a
weight of the body, engine, transmission and the passengers. uniformly distributed load as shown in Figure 2.
So it must provide the support and strength needed by the
assemblies and parts attached to it. The weight of body at each hanger bracket ,
Wbody = weight of body
number of hanger brackets in two side beams
II. FUNCTION OF FRAME
= 350
The main functions of frame are -
8
( i ) Safe and reliable operation at all times
(ii ) Stable operation through the speed range = 44 kg
without deterioration between maintenance
periods
(iii) Good vehicle environment free from excessive
noise
(iv) It should be of minimum weight.

III. FRAME DESIGN

There are four types for frame design as shown in
Figure 1. They are -
(1) C - shape Frame
Figure 2. Loads on One Side Beam
(2) Box Frame
(3) Tubular Frame
The bending moment diagram and shearing force
(4) Hat Frame.
diagram for a side beam can be constructed as shown in
Figure 3.
Aung Ko Latt is with the Mandalay Technological University, Mandalay, Maximum bending moment occurs 2008.103 mm
Myanmar (corresponding author to provide phone: 095-2-88702; fax: 095-2- from point A and its value is 54504.778 kg-mm. Mechanical
88702; e-mail: akl122299@ gmail.com). properties of frame material are shown in Table 1.
 2

Table 1. Mechanical Properties of SS400 (rolled steel)

Tensile Yield Allowable Young's
Density
3 Stress Stress Stress Modulus
(kg/m )
(kg/m2) (kg/m2) (kg/m2) (kg/m2)

7861.093 49×106 35 × 106 21×106 21×109

Figure 4. Vehicle Torsion Case

Torsional moment,
T = R 1 × t f ( OR ) R 2 × t r
where, R 1 = reaction from front spring (kg)
R 2 = reaction from rear spring (kg)
t f = distances between front springs (mm)
t r = distances between rear springs (mm)

∴Z = T
σa
= 52476.171 mm3
Therefore, the design section modulus is 52476.171 mm3.

V. DESIGN OF FIRST CROSS BEAM

The first cross beam is mainly intended to connect
the side beams. But, the weights of radiator and engine are
transmitted to the ends of the first cross beam at the hanger
brackets as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Loading Diagram for First Cross Beam

Figure 3. Shearing Force and Bending Moment Diagram
for Side Beam ∴ Z = M (max)
σa
= 2 × ( 46 + 120) × 220
section modulus = max imum bending moment 21
allowable stress = 3478.095 mm3
= 2595.466 mm3 Therefore, the design section modulus is 3161.905 mm3 .

(ii) Torsion Case VI. DESIGN OF SECOND CROSS BEAM

The torsional moment is based on the reaction loads For the second cross beam, the weight of engine is
from springs, and its value is the reaction loads multiplied by transmitted to its centre as shown in Figure 6. It doesn't have
the distance between front or rear springs, shown in Figure 4. to be loaded by the weight of other components of the vehicle.
 3

= 0.409 kg
∴Uniformly distributed load on third cross beam ,
w = W rear body + W rear pass/seats + W fuel / tan k
1170
= 0.547 kg /mm

2
M(max) = w L
8
Figure 6. Loading Diagram for Second Cross Beam = 2 × 0.547 × 1170 ×1170
8
M(max)= W L = 187197.076 kg-mm
4
∴ Z = M (max)
= 2 × 240 × 770 σa
4
= 92400 kg-mm = 8914.146 mm3
Therefore, the design section modulus is 8914.146 mm3.
M (max)
∴Z =
σa VIII. DESIGN OF FOURTH CROSS BEAM
= 4400 mm 3 There is no point load on fourth cross beam. Its
Therefore, the design section modulus is 4400 mm3. design consideration is similar as the third cross beam design.
The weights of rear portion of the body, rear passengers and
seats of the vehicle and luggage are transmitted to the fourth
VII. DESIGN OF THIRD CROSS BEAM cross beam as a uniformly distributed load, shown in Figure 8.
There is no point load on third cross beam. The
weights of rear portion of the body, rear passengers and seats
of the vehicle and fuel are transmitted to the third cross beam
as a uniformly distributed load as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 8. Loading Diagram for Fourth Cross Beam

Maximum payload = Gross vehicle - Vehicle net

weight weight
Figure 7. Loading Diagram for Third Cross Beam = 2690 - 2230
= 460 kg
Weight of rear body = density of body × Vrear body
Average weight of one passenger = 63.504 kg
= 7861.093 × 0.038
= 299.777 kg Maximum payload = W 5 passengers + Wluggage
∴ Wluggage = Maximum payload - W 5passengers
Weight of rear passengers = 3 × 63.504
= 460 - ( 63.504 ×5 )
= 190.511 kg = 142.482 kg
Weight of rear seats = 69 kg
∴Uniformly distributed load on fourth cross beam ,
Weight of fuel = density of diesel × Vfuel w = Wrear body + Wrear pass/seats + Wluggage
1170
= 0.85 × 95
= 0.6 kg /mm
= 80.75 kg
Weight of fuel tank = density of fuel tank × Vfuel wL2
M(max) =
8
tank
= 2 × 0.6 × 1170 × 1170
= 7861.093 × 52.009 × 10 -6 8
= 205267.724 kg-mm
 4

∴ Z = M (max) The author is deeply grateful to his parents, his brothers and
σa his beloved wife for their supports and encouragements. And
= 9774.654 mm3 the author would like to express his heart felt gratitude to all
Therefore, the design section modulus is 9774.654 mm3. his teachers who taught him everything from childhood till
now.

IX. RESULT DATA OF SECTION PARAMETERS FOR

PROPOSED SIDE BEAM AND CROSS BEAMS REFERENCES
To select cross sectional dimensions of side beam [1] Heinemann, Butter Worth: The Automotive Chassis.
and cross beams in Landcruiser frame, there is no standard 2nd ed. Great Britain: Society of Automotive
dimension. Engineers, Inc, (2002).
Therefore, cross sectional dimensional of side beam [2] Julien Happian - Smith, New Delhi: An Introduction
and cross beams can be calculated by using the relationships to Modern Vehicle Design, Great Britain. Reed
between the dimensions of existing side beam and cross Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd., (2002).
beams, shown in Table 2.
[3] Daewoo Heavy Industry Ltd, Seoul Korea: Technical
Table 2. Result Data for Proposed Side Beam and Cross Document of Myanmar Railways, (1998).
Beams [4] Gillespie, Thomas D. : Fundamental of Vehicle
Dynamics. USA: Society of Automotive Engineers,
Types of Side 1stCross 2ndCross 3rdCross 4thCross Inc., (1992).
Beams Beam Beam Beam Beam Beam [5] Robert L.Mott. P.E: Machine Elements in Mechanical
Outside Diesel, University of Dayton, (1985).
Width, 64 44 58 54 56 [6] Marin, W.Stockel : Auto Mechanic Fundamentals.
B(mm) U.S.A, the good heart. Willeox Co., Inc., (1974).
Inside
Width, 56 40 55 48 50
b(mm)
Outside
Depth, 140 45 33 54 56
D (mm)
Inside
Depth, 132 41 28 48 50
d (mm)

Thickness,
4 2 2.5 3 3
t (mm)

Maximum
Bending 0.978 15.743 20.861 18.98 19.241
Stress ×106 ×106 ×106 ×106 ×106
(kg/m2)
Safety
1.889 2.49 1.879 2.065 2.037
Factor

X. CONCLUSION
The Landcruiser frame has to support the dynamic
loads because of the motion of the car. These loads cause
different stresses. Therefore, the Landcruiser frame has to be
analyzed by fatigue strength analysis, There are many
advanced theories about fatigue problems. In this thesis, the
fatigue theory is based on stress life basis.
The design considerations and calculations of frame
are mainly dependent upon the statistical data of the existing
frame. However, the section modulus of proposed side beams
are larger than the existing section modulus for the purpose of
withstanding both bending and torsion. If local facilities and
local material are sufficient to produce the Landcruiser frame,
this research paper can be fully applied in design and
construction of frame for Landcruiser car.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT