DaimlerChrysler has validated virtual test tools, consisting of a computer simulation of a physical test rig and a correlation analysis process and software, that quantifies the accuracy of a functional virtual prototype and helps to improve the model fidelity. At the present time, multibody simulation is sufficiently accurate to provide realistic component load histories, except for the tires, The approach described herein overcomes this obstacle by modeling the full vehicle road simulators that are commonly used to transfer the body durability test from the road into the lab. The advantage of modeling the test rig is that the rig is connected to the vehicle through spindle adapters, eliminating the influence of the tires. By simulating a spindle coupled test rig it is possible to apply load histories from a similar vehicle to the model of the vehicle under development and generate accurate dynamic component loads. Secondly, once a physical prototype exists, one can undertake a truly dynamic validation of the functional virtual prototype when applying the same loads through a virtual and physical test rig, The tools and process improvements developed in this project, will aid both test and analysis engineers to contribute to solving each others problems.
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