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This paper describes a set of simulations for various testing conditions concerning the ECE R-29 standard. One test consist of a front impact of a swing bob against the vehicle cabin to verify its attachment to the frame. Others simulations include roof and rear-wall crushing to evaluate the cabin overall strength. A durability finite element model of the vehicle has been adapted into a crashworthiness model and simulated in LS-DYNA3D. The model used represents the contact between all parts and the elasto-plastic strain failure characteristics of the materials. Simulations have revealed some structural short falls that demanded cabin improvements in order to fulfill regulation requirements. Their results allowed the designers to predict the cabin structural behavior and then introduce improvements before the cabin prototype is built and tested.

1 The present work describes the modeling and analysis processes of a medium sized truck manufactured in Brazil with regard to comfort behavior. The vehicle model includes Hotchkiss suspensions front and rear with shackle and with a double stage with bump stops at the rear. It is also included frame flexibility in ADAMS, the frame characteristics were imported from a Finite Element Analysis model. Nonlinear shock absorber curves are also represented for the vehicle and cab suspensions. Viscoelastic bushings for cab and powertrain suspension are also included. Random track profile is generated as input and vehicle comfort is described in terms of the ISO 2631-85 Standard. The effect on vehicle comfort of changing a design parameter can be predicted in the model and verified experimentally.