Development of a Rational Load-Bearing Frame Structure for a Bus
Authors: Goncharov R.B., Rubanov P.S., Skotnikov G.I.
Published in issue: #1(169)/2026
Category: Aviation and Rocket-Space Engineering | Chapter: Ground transport and technological means and complexes
A global trend in the automotive industry development involves weight reduction and enhancement of bus operational characteristics. When designing the structure, it is essential to make a rational choice of the load-bearing frame structure of the vehicle in order to meet the requirements for its strength and stiffness. When designing a bus frame structure meeting the established requirements, not only strength must be taken into account, but also, the effectiveness of energy absorption in the event of a rollover impact in accordance with UN Regulation No. 66. This can be achieved through topological optimization aimed at obtaining a rational layout of the bus frame load-bearing elements. Optimization under impact loading conditions was carried out using the LS-TaSC program with the explicit LS-DYNA solver in ANSYS Workbench, resulting in a rational bus frame load-bearing structure.
EDN DJRXQO
References
[1] Mitic S., Popovic V.M., Blagojevic I., Grbovic A. Verification of the numerical model of optimized bus body structure according to UN Regulation No. 66. Tehnicki Vjesnik, 2023, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 87–92.
[2] Rubanov P.S., Goncharov R.B., Ryabov D.M., Padalkin B.V. Topologicheskaya optimizaciya kabiny mini-pogruzchika s pozicii passivnoj bezopasnosti po trebovaniyam FOPS i ROPS [Topological optimization of the mini-loader cabin from the position of passive safety according to the requirements of FOPS and ROPS]. Vestnik Moskovskogo avtomobil’no-dorozhnogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnicheskogo universiteta (MADI) — Bulletin of the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI), 2024, no. 3(78), pp. 48–56.
[3] Rubanov P.S., Maksimov R.O., Chetverikov M.V. Metodika sinteza geometrii prodol’nogo profilya i konstruktivnykh parametrov listovoj ressory s primeneniem metoda konechnykh elementov [The method of synthesis of the geometry of the longitudinal profile and the design parameters of the leaf spring using the finite element method]. Traktory i selkhozmashiny — Tractors and Agricultural Machinery, 2024, vol. 91, no. 3, pp. 331–340.
[4] Zhitelev D.A., Pozdnyakov T.D., Sulegin D.A. Topologicheskaya optimizatsiya silovoy konstrukcii karcasa bezopasnosti [Topological optimization of the load-bearing structure of the safety cage]. Izvestiya MGTU MAMI, 2023, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 179–186.
[5] Levenkov Ya.Yu., Lebedev D.R. Ispolzovanie metodov topologicheskoi optimizatsii na rannikh stadiyakh proektirovaniya nesushchei sistemy snieghoda [The use of topological optimization methods in the early stages of snowmobile]. Mashiny i ustanovki: proektirovanie, razrabotka i ekspluatatsiya, 2023, no. 4, pp. 21–29.
[6] Dushkin M.A., Levienkov Ya.Yu. Metodika avtomatizirovannogo vybora nagruzochykh rezhimov dlya proektirovaniya vysokonagruzhenykh detalei transportnykh sredstv s ispolzovaniem topologicheskoi optimizatsii [The method of automated load modes selection for designing highly loaded vehicle parts using topology optimization]. Trudy NGTU im. R.E. Alekseeva — Proceedings of Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev, 2025, no. 2 (149), pp. 85–102.
[7] Kongwat S., Jongpradist P., Hasegawa H. Lightweight bus body design and optimization for rollover crashworthiness. Int. J Automot. Technol, 2020, vol. 21, pp. 981–991.
[8] Chichekin I.V., Levienkov Ya.Yu., Arutyunyan G.A., Nyrkov F.A., Chudakov O.I. Razrabotka matematicheskoi dinamicheskoi modeli kariernogo avtosamosvala dlya opredeleniya nagruzok, deistvuyushchikh na ramu v zadannykh rezhimakh ekspluatatsii [Development of mathematical dynamic model of an open-pit dump truck for determination of loads acting on frame in specified operating modes]. Trudy NGTU im. R.E. Alekseeva — Proceedings of Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev, 2022, no. 2 (137), pp. 127–137.
[9] Kurniadi N., Priyanto K., Gojandra F.P.L. Finite element analysis and optimization of medium bus frame structure. Jurnal Teknik Mesin, 2025, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 157–162.
[10] Rubanov P.S., Goncharov R.B., Skotnikov G.I., Gorelov V.A., Grigoriev V.S. Ocenka vliyaniya ucheta podatlivosti rami frontalnogo pogruzchika na voznikayuschie nagruzki v sisteme dinamiki tverdykh tel [Assessment of influence of considering the flexibility of the front loader frame on the emerging loads in the multibody system]. Izvestiya MGTU MAMI, 2023, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 401–409.
[11] Dianov V.A., Bokarev A.I., Kartashov A.B. Razrabotka metodiki modelirovaniya nagruzhennosti kariernogo avtosamosvala putyom kaskadirovaniya vneshnikh silovykh faktorov [Developing the procedure of simulation of loading of the open-pit dump truck by means of cascading the external force factors]. Trudy NAMI — Proceedings of NAMI, 2024, no. 3(298), pp. 57–70.
[12] Chichekin I.V., Nyrkov F.A., Grigoriev V.S. Razrabotka dinamicheskoi modeli frontalnogo pogruzchika dlya analiza ekspluatatsionnykh svoystv i opredeleniya nagruzok, deystvuyushchikh na ego elementy [Development of a dynamic model of a front loader for the analysis of operational properties and determination of loads acting on its elements]. Izvestiya MGTU MAMI, 2022, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 71–80.
[13] Razali N.I., Aziz N.A., Topa A. Verification of the computer model of the bus rollover according to Annex 9 UNECE R66. ASEAN Engineering Journal, 2025, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 143–150.
[14] Addisu H.S., Koricho E.G. Structural weight and stiffness optimization of a midibus using the reinforcement and Response Surface Optimization (RSO) method in static condition. Modelling and Simulation in Engineering, 2022, paper 6812744.
[15] Chen J., Hwang H. Steering Test of Mid-Size Bus with Flexible-Body Dynamics Model. MATEC Web Conf., 2018, vol. 169, paper 01038.