Completed projects - LTU - Luleå University of Technology

Real Time Analysis (RTA)

In winter testing it is necessary to verify that the performance of a modern vehicle meets the automative standards. To achieve this goal, vehicles are tested in different conditions. These conditions include different maneuvers on different surfaces and varying temperatures.

Frequency Sweep Test Track (FSTT)

Squeak and rattle (S&R) is a group of interior noise that reduces the sense of quality dramatically. To identify and solve S&R problems the car manufacturers do simulations, tests in laboratory and tests at proving grounds. In order to systematically test for vehicle S&R noise at proving grounds there is a need for a new type of test track that in a controlled and repetitive ways excite vehicles at different frequencies. The basic idea behind the Frequency Sweep Test Track is to excite a vehicle, driven at constant speed, with a constant force with increasing (or decreasing) frequency. The developed FSTT excites the vehicle with a specified frequency sweep and improves the precision when detecting and solving S&R issues. The track is easy to build and maintain and can be designed for different frequency ranges and excitation amplitudes.

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN)

The WSN project is performs research on technologies and methods for the use of wireless sensors in the application of vehicle winter testing. The goal is to allow test entrepreneurs to access sensor information rapidly within a test vehicle and online on the Internet in a dependable and secure manner.

Demonstration of multigas exhaust measurements

The project is a demonstration and investigation project in which methodology and equipment for field measurements of regulated engine emissions are being investigated. A survey and some marketing research are also being done to determine the level of interest in exhaust emission tests in the region.

Distributed automotive development, testing and validation

To meet the increasing need for testing and validation in the automotive industry this project is developing technology and methods enabling distributed collaborative work in testing, validation and development of vehicles and vehicle components.

Friction under winter road conditions

Design of reliable non-studded winter tires is difficult due to inadequate understanding of the involved grip phenomena. There is also a lack of knowledge about how different winter road conditions affect grip. This research project consists of two parts: friction studies and characterization of winter road surfaces. Equipment and methods for testing the friction coefficient of tires vs. ice, snow and slush have been developed. The contact area between ice and tire has been studied both directly with optical means and indirectly for pressure distribution, this in order to understand the slip phenomena. By using different casting techniques it has been possible to measure the ice topography with high resolution.

This project collaborates with project 1 and project 8 in CASTT and with the Swedish road administration.

Friction-induced, cold-related noise in automobiles

This research project has three main focus areas:

A detailed investigation of the climate influence on the excitation mechanisms of friction-induced noise from seal surfaces.

Development of a prediction model based on theoretical modelling verified by experiments.

Development of a quick and reliable measurement method that can detect transient squeak and rumble sources inside a car. The intention for the method is that it can be used by trained car-test personnel or by the automotive personnel.

The project is co-financed by Saab/GME and CASTT and is run by the Division of Sound & Vibration in cooperation with div for Machinery Elements and Experimental Mechanics at LTU. The project is being conducted at LTU, Colmis, Saab and at GME’s research facility in Russelsheim.

Micro climate

Development of methods and technology to measure, analyze, communicate and visualize data give the possibilities to develop application, services and business coupled to the winter test industry.

One example of such a future application is to measure temperature and via a map in a mobile phone or GPS-navigator visualize the temperature variations along the road. In this way a test driver could receive firsthand information of the temperature along the road. This solution is of particular interest to the test of climate control, combustion engines and in the future HEV technologies. Additional business benefits after identifying the microclimate is the possibility for local weather forecasts.

Noise vibration harshness (NVH) caused by ABS and ESP systems - Pre-study

Measurement and characterization of sound and vibration caused by ABS and ESP systems in different vehicles. The project comprises development of measurement, analysis and auralization techniques for improved evaluations of NVH features. A short pre-study project has been finalised which comprised measurements on a couple of reference cars under various driving conditions. The pre-study project also served as a demonstration and a means of establishing contact with automotive and car test companies.
The project is planned to continue into a larger project which includes analysis of repeatability and test accuracy as well as development of a benchmark database.
The project is run by the Division of Sound & Vibration in cooperation with ATM and Icemakers, and results have been presented for Bosch.

Remote Vehicle Dynamics

This project explores new ways of using vehicle dynamics during winter testing and the goal is to enable new or developed services for service providers thus make testing more effective for the automotive industry.

Reactive programming of event-driven automotive systems

Our goal is to improve the testing process of software-based automotive systems through:

Targeting the testing to functionality; i.e., testing the function to be implemented instead of struggling with errors (bugs) in of the code implementation.

Road Scanning, Vehicle Simulation and Navigation

The scope of the project is to study new measurement systems and algorithms for road vehicles. One part of the project is to measure the road and its immediate environment in 3D. An area, in which these 3D measurements describing the topography of the road can be useful, is as input to a vehicle simulator during distributed vehicle testing.

Real time visualization of measurement data from vehicles

Modern vehicles generate large volumes of digital data while in operation. This data is a valuable asset for the vehicle manufacturers, for diagnostics, testing and verification, and as input to simulation models when designing the next generation products. Furthermore, modern data network technology makes it possible to send measurement data in real time from a vehicle over a wireless network, for direct on-line analysis.