Race Car Vehicle Dynamics and the companion Race Car Vehicle Dynamics: Problems, Answers and Experiments are used as textbooks in several university courses on vehicle dynamics. One such course is taught by MRA Associate Edward Kasprzak at the University at Buffalo (UB). The UB "Road Vehicle Dynamics" course forms the basis for the information on this page. The day-by-day course outline listed below comes directly from this course as taught in Spring 2003.

Additionally, the book Chassis Design: Principles and Analysis is ideal for a second, more advanced course on vehicle dynamics and suspension design.

An excellent source of homework problems is Race Car Vehicle Dynamics: Problems, Answers and Experiments, published in May 2003. It contains approximately 300 pages of problems, solutions and experiments, some of which were developed in this course.

The RCVD Program Suite, originally developed for use in this course, has been enhanced and included in Race Car Vehicle Dynamics: Problems, Answers and Experiments. Follow this link to the RCVD Program Suite to learn more.

This course outline is based on the Spring 2003 edition of MAE 454/554 "Road Vehicle Dynamics" at at the University at Buffalo. The class met twice a week and each class was 80 minutes in duration.

Day 1	Introduction Review Policies and Syllabus History of the Road Vehicle Dynamics course at UB Lateral and Longitudinal Accelerations Derivation of Centripetal Acceleration Formula The g-g Diagram for Race Cars and Passenger Cars
Day 2	Axis Systems The Need for Multiple Axis Systems Earth-Fixed, Body (Vehicle) Fixed, Aero, Wheel Center and Ground Axis Systems Terms and Symbols: Motion Variables, Forces, Moments The Euler Angle Transformation Matrix Quaternions
Day 3	Tires I The Tire Axis System Revisited Tires as Force/Moment Generators Definitions of Slip Angle, Inclination Angle Factors Affecting Tire Force and Moment Generation Tire Construction The Pressure/Temperature Relationship
Day 4	Tires II The Tire as a Spring Pressure Distribution in the Footprint Lateral Force Generation The Tread Button Cycle Typical Lateral Force Curves Aligning Torque
Day 5	Tires III Lateral Force (continued) Induced Drag Aligning Torque Camber Thrust Tractive and Braking Forces The Friction Ellipse
Day 6	Tires IV Why We Need Tire Data Sources of Tire Data Tire Testing Difficulties Tire Models Nondimensional Tire Theory
Day 7	Steady-State Cornering I Introduction to the Bicycle Model Front and Rear Slip Angles as a Function of Vehicle Motions Low-Speed Cornering--Ackermann Steer Angle
Day 8	Steady-State Cornering II Steady-State Cornering with Centrifugal Force Determining Steer and Sideslip Angles for Steady-State Cornering Requirement for a Neutral Steer Vehicle Oversteer and Understeer Defined
Day 9	Steady-State Cornering III Clarification of OS, US, NS Video on Tires, Oversteer, Understeer Review for Exam
Day 10	Exam #1
Day 11	Simulation I Return Exam The RVD Speedway--6 competing teams
Day 12	Simulation II Optimal Solution for the RVD Speedway Bicycle Model Equations of Motion Comments on Numerical Integration
Day 13	Simulation III Equations of Motion (revisited) Stability and Control Derivatives Yaw Damping, Static Directional Stability Graduate Student Project Assigned
Day 14	Steady-State Stability and Control Steady-State Responses The Stability Factor Ackermann Relationship to Yaw Damping Critical Speed, Characteristic Speed and Tangent Speed
Day 15	Steady-State Stability and Control II Neutral Steer Point, Static Margin Understeer Gradient, Steering Sensitivity Equilibrium, Trim, Stability
Day 16	Automobile Safety and Crash Dynamics Motorsports as a Laboratory Three Impacts in a Collision Crash Severity: Peak Acceleration and Change in Velocity Redirecting versus Absorbing Barriers
Day 17	Transients Solution of Second-Order Differential Equations Natural Frequency, Damping Ratio Response Metrics Relationship to the Bicycle Model Brief Discussion of Dampers (Shock Absorbers)
Day 18	Force-Moment Analysis I Constrained Testing Aircraft Testing in Wind Tunnels Attempts at Constrained Testing of Automobiles Constrained Testing of Automobiles via Mathematical Analysis/Computer Program The CN-AY Diagram Stability Index
Day 19	Force-Moment Analysis II Construction of the CN-AY Diagram Interpreting Diagram Boundaries Interpretation of Internal Diagram Lines Discussion of Stability Index Transients on the CN-AY Diagram
Day 20	Review for Exam #2 Review--no new material
Day 21	Exam #2
Day 22	Four-Wheeled Models I Exam #2 Returned Calculation of Static Wheel Loads Diagonal Weight Lateral Load Transfer
Day 23	Four-Wheeled Models II Longitudinal Load Transfer, Crests and Dips Load Transfer and Tire Load Sensitivity Lateral Load Transfer Distribution Roll Stiffness, Roll Gradient The Role of an Anti-Roll Bar
Day 24	Four-Wheeled Models III More on Anti-Roll Bars Suspension Roll Centers Lateral Load Transfer Equations with Roll Centers and Roll Stiffness Oversteer/Understeer Effect of Lateral Load Transfer Distribution
Day 25	Four-Wheeled Models IV Jacking Front View and Side View Instant Centers Anti-Dive, Anti-Squat, Anti-Lift Axle and Independent Suspensions
Day 26	Race Car Design, Setup and Tuning Passenger Cars: Goals and Characteristics Race Cars: Goals and Characteristics Three "Magic Numbers" General Principles for Racecar Tuning Design Phase Decisions, Paddock/Garage Adjustments
Day 27	Guest Lecture Guest Lecture by Doug Milliken "Data for Vehicle Dynamics Modeling"
Day 28	Last Class Race Car Pitstop and On-Track Adjustments Review Course Evaluations
**	Final Exam 3 Hours, cumulative, during exam week