This article investigates options for lightweighting truck trailers through a combination of material selection and structural optimization. Critical chassis design load cases were established and a parametric finite element (FE) model of a typical European-style 13.5 m long truck trailer built from steel I-beams was developed. The model has been used to show that existing longitudinal steel I-beams could be reduced in weight by 28% (140 kg) through shape optimization alone. The model was expanded to analyze holistic composite trailer structures. It showed that up to 67% (1,326 kg) of weight could be saved by executing shape and material optimization in unison. The approach highlights that design through parametric analysis allows for many different structural configurations to be assessed in terms of both mechanical performance and material cost. This facilitates the construction of a theoretical design space of a lightweight chassis, clarifying the weight reduction limits that could be achieved with lightweight materials and structural optimization. The lightweight trailer chassis designs proposed here are also compared against a portfolio of shorter-term strategies for trailer lightweighting. These strategies are poised to have an increasingly important role in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of the road freight industry.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Material Selection and Structural Optimization for Lightweight Truck Trailer Design


    Additional title:

    Sae Int. J. Commer. Veh


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2020-02-18


    Size :

    17 pages




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




    Truck Trailer Aerodynamic Design Optimization Through CFD Simulations

    Magazoni, Felipe / Buscariolo, Filipe Fabian / Maruyama, Flavio Koiti et al. | SAE | 2020


    Material haul - Truck or tractor/trailer

    Kelley, D.M. | Tema Archive | 1979


    TRUCK TRAILER INTERFACE

    STAAHL CHRISTIAN / MEDERER MARTIN | European Patent Office | 2024

    Free access

    Truck Trailer Interface

    STAAHL CHRISTIAN / FRY MATTHEW / RETTER JOCHEN et al. | European Patent Office | 2021

    Free access

    Truck trailer interface

    STOLL CHRISTIAN / MEIDL MICHAEL | European Patent Office | 2025

    Free access