SETUP IS CONNECTED
Mechanical changes propagate through multiple vehicle systems rather than affecting a single performance metric in isolation.
VEHICLE DYNAMICS · MATLAB · AERODYNAMICS · TYRES · SUSPENSION
VEHICLE PERFORMANCE
SETUP & SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
Developing an integrated vehicle model to investigate how mechanical setup influences tyre loading, lateral balance, aerodynamic platform and ride behaviour.
01
PROJECT OVERVIEW
From setup change to
vehicle-level performance.
I developed a MATLAB-based vehicle performance tool to explore how changes in mechanical setup propagate through the vehicle and influence tyre loading, lateral balance, aerodynamic performance and ride behaviour.
Rather than treating each subsystem independently, the model brings them together within a single workflow. This allows a setup change to be traced from its initial mechanical input through to its effect on the overall vehicle response.
01
TYRES
Load transfer & grip
02
BALANCE
Lateral response
03
AERO PLATFORM
Downforce & ride height
04
RIDE DYNAMICS
Suspension & platform
05
SENSITIVITY
1D & 2D analysis
06
DASHBOARD
Integrated analysis tool
02
MODEL ARCHITECTURE
Building the vehicle
from the setup upwards.
Vehicle geometry, mechanical setup, tyre behaviour and operating conditions form the inputs to the model. Each stage feeds the next, allowing the effect of a setup change to be followed through the complete vehicle.
01
SETUP
Springs · ARBs
Ride height
→
02
TYRES
Load transfer
Cornering stiffness
→
03
BALANCE
Lateral dynamics
Understeer gradient
→
04
AERO
Downforce
Aero map
→
05
PLATFORM
Ride height
Compression
→
06
PERFORMANCE
Balance · Grip
Vehicle checks
03
TYRES & LATERAL DYNAMICS
From tyre behaviour
to vehicle balance.
The lateral model connects axle load transfer with load-sensitive tyre behaviour to estimate available lateral force and the resulting balance of the vehicle.
KEY OUTPUT
Understeer gradient
Used to quantify how the balance changes with speed and setup.
04
AERODYNAMIC PLATFORM
Closing the loop between
aerodynamics and suspension.
Vehicle speed determines aerodynamic load, while that load compresses the suspension and changes front and rear ride height. The updated platform is then used to evaluate the aerodynamic response.
INPUT
Vehicle Speed
RESPONSE
Ride Height
OUTPUT
Aero Load
05
SUSPENSION & RIDE DYNAMICS
Stiffer is not
automatically better.
A simplified ride model was used to investigate how spring stiffness influences suspension travel, body response and control of the aerodynamic platform.
This provides the mechanical side of the trade-off: a setup that improves platform control can simultaneously alter the transient behaviour of the vehicle.
This shows the benefit of the setup change: peak suspension travel reduces from about 5.974 mm → 5.778 mm (−3.28%).
This shows the penalty: peak body acceleration increases from about 10.869 → 11.323 m/s² (+4.17%).
06
SETUP SENSITIVITY
From individual changes
to a setup design space.
Sensitivity studies first isolate individual setup parameters before extending the analysis into a two-dimensional design space. This makes it possible to identify trends, interactions and regions that warrant further investigation.
01
ONE-DIMENSIONAL
Parameter Sensitivity
Sweep a single setup variable while holding the remaining parameters constant.
02
TWO-DIMENSIONAL
Setup Design Space
Explore interactions between front and rear setup parameters rather than evaluating each independently.
07
INTEGRATED PERFORMANCE TOOL
Bringing the complete
model together.
The individual models are combined within an interactive MATLAB dashboard. Setup inputs can be changed directly and the resulting vehicle state is recalculated across the complete model.
01
SETUP INPUTS
Mechanical parameters changed from a single interface.
02
PERFORMANCE OUTPUTS
Vehicle-level metrics update with the selected configuration.
03
PLATFORM ANALYSIS
Front and rear ride state remains visible alongside performance.
04
VALIDITY CHECKS
Model limits identify configurations outside the intended range.
08
INTEGRATED VALIDATION
Can a setup change
recover the platform?
A baseline configuration is compared with a revised setup to demonstrate how the tool can identify an undesirable vehicle state and evaluate a corrective setup change.
BASELINE
Initial Setup
Rear ride height
—
Rear map margin
—
Downforce
—
CHECK
→
REVISED
Setup Change
Rear ride height
—
Rear map margin
—
Downforce
—
PASS
09
ENGINEERING TAKEAWAYS
What the model showed.
AERO & SUSPENSION
Aerodynamic performance and mechanical platform behaviour need to be considered together when assessing setup.
STIFFER ≠ BETTER
Increased stiffness can improve one aspect of platform control while introducing compromises elsewhere in the vehicle response.
SENSITIVITY ≠ OPTIMUM
A sensitivity study identifies trends and useful design regions; it does not by itself define an optimised vehicle setup.
SOURCE CODE
Explore the implementation.
MATLAB models, sensitivity studies and the integrated vehicle-performance dashboard are available within the project repository.