DRIVING DYNAMICS EVALUATION OF BODY STRUCTURAL STIFFNESSES USING ADAMS REAL TIME ON A DRIVING SIMULATOR
This work presents an experimental study on the subjective evaluation of vehicle dynamics design variants using a high-fidelity simulator (DiM400). The study examines how coupling an advanced motion platform with a complex real-time multibody dynamics (MBD) model allows trained drivers to perceive and differentiate subtle variations in steering response, handling, and overall dynamic behavior. The specific focus related to automotive engineering aspects of this investigation is the subjective evaluation of body and subframe stiffness which is to be designed in new vehicle projects.
The Adams Real Time (AdamsRT) model was constructed as a detailed virtual prototype comprising multiple flexible components, including the front subframe, chassis, and rear twist beam, together with parameterized representations of the suspension and steering systems. This configuration enabled systematic exploration of design alternatives while maintaining high physical fidelity and repeatability.
Real-time execution of the model was achieved using an AutoHawk 24 Extreme hard-real-time computing system. To meet computational constraints, model reduction was performed by limiting the number of active modes in flexible components, ensuring real-time performance without significant loss of correlation with offline, high-fidelity simulations. During a two-day test campaign, 42 model configurations were evaluated on the DiM400 simulator. These configurations incorporated systematic variations in flexible-body modeling and tuning parameters. The results demonstrate that the AdamsRT–VI-DriveSim integration enables repeatable, real-time driver-in-the-loop (DIL) assessment of complex vehicle dynamics, supporting both objective and subjective evaluations.
The study highlights the potential of real-time flexible multibody simulation for early-stage vehicle dynamics development, providing an effective link between high-fidelity virtual modeling and human-in-the-loop validation processes in the automotive design workflow.
