Design and Analysis of Composite Structures for Automotive Applications

Introduction

Composites in Automotive Chassis and Drivetrain

In times of climate change and rising emissions in the environment, lightweight construction has found its way into almost all industries. The authorities, particularly in the automotive industry, formulate endlessly decreasing targets in emission reduction. Because increasingly stringent emissions can be minimized through weight reduction, an optimal structural design made with lightweight materials is one of the principal tendencies in contemporary development of passenger cars. Some of the most attractive improvements have been seen in the use of composites to replace parts and components traditionally manufactured from steel (Miravete 1996; Tucker and Lindsey 2002). In particular, carbon‐fiber‐reinforced plastics and glass reinforced plastics have great potential to reduce the weight of passenger cars. Cost of a product remains a key issue. As with any lightweight material, all further expenses, which are incurred in addition to the cost of the base material, must be accounted for. The major task to make the product attractive to customers and the market is to reduce lightweight construction and production costs as much as possible along with significant weight reduction and other extra benefits. Despite manufacturing processes being continuously improved, there is still substantial progress to be made for cost‐effective mass production. Safety is another dominant criterion for passenger cars. Hence, new designs ...