Numerical simulation is a powerful tool to help solve mobility challenges.
Mobility is an extremely important topic these days, and it’s growing in importance all the time. Numerical simulation has served the transport industry enormously (trains, planes and, of course, cars). Today, DAES experts can support you across the entire value chain, from the vehicle to mobility scenarios. Our engineers will help you to take into account the physical challenges and opportunities of sustainable mobility.
Overall, digital simulation can help improve mobility by enabling better vehicle design, more efficient journey planning and better management of existing transport infrastructures.
A changing market: connectivity, ecology and regulation
The automotive industry is simultaneously facing an unprecedented set of strategic challenges: disruptive change, rapid expansion, range renewal, all against the backdrop of the digital revolution. Emerging technologies such as electric cars and network-based applications are reshaping the transportation equipment manufacturing sector. Finally, environmental regulations and growing demand for alternative mobility concepts are forcing manufacturers to adapt and innovate even further. Engineers can use digital simulation to design and test vehicles before they are physically built. This cuts development costs and times, while improving vehicle quality and safety, and reducing the need for prototypes.
Solutions for the future of automotive innovation
DAES supports you in the development of tomorrow’s vehicles, as well as in the design of new, more flexible and more efficient industrial sites (industrial processes and maintenance via digital twins). We provide a wide range of services, from on-site design to outsourced technical platforms for sub-assemblies or complete vehicles.
Aerodynamic study of a car
Aerodynamics is the science of air flow and its effects on moving objects. It is important for understanding how air influences the movement of objects, and how these effects can be used to improve the design of moving objects. CFD studies on modern cars are very advanced and help reduce noise for passenger comfort or improve vehicle fuel efficiency. by modeling fluid flows around the vehicle.
Crash test
Cars are subject to standards designed to protect passengers in the event of a crash. Nowadays, a large number of numerical crash simulations are carried out using tools such as LS-DYNA or PAM CRASH. This considerably reduces the need for real crash tests with dummies, and improves passenger safety.
Transport infrastructure assessment
Simulations can be used to evaluate existing transport infrastructures, such as roads, bridges and tunnels. This makes it possible to detect safety problems, plan repairs and improvements, and minimize traffic disruption while work is in progress.
Transportation policy evaluation
Simulations can be used to evaluate transportation policies, such as car-sharing or public transport programs. This makes it possible to predict the impact of these policies on traffic, air quality and the environment, and to make informed decisions on their implementation.
Simulation can be used to optimize operations, as well as public comfort and safety.
We support rail industry players by enabling them to create and test virtual prototypes of components, subsystems and complete rail vehicles. Design requirements vary considerably depending on the vehicle’s use, for example: indoor/outdoor, freight/passenger, number of rails, maximum train speed, preventive maintenance. Our solutions meet the challenges of the rail industry.
Structural study of a wagon or locomotive
A train naturally has structural imperatives both for technical reasons (repairing a wagon is not a trivial task) and for passenger safety. The standards impose numerous load cases, giving pride of place to numerical simulation. For example, static calculations are required to estimate the structural integrity of chassis under static load and fatigue. These checks also extend to welds, and for on-board components, to screws and bolts.
Vibratory behavior of train structures
Study of crash-induced shocks or wagon-to-wagon connections
Explicit analyses can also be carried out to estimate the impact on passengers of a crash (crash test), or to estimate the stresses in the connection between 2 wagons which, when hooked up, generate high forces in a short space of time.
Estimating forces between components using rigid body dynamics
Such analyses can be carried out to estimate the stresses in the various rolling stock components, as well as the frequencies of oscillations felt by passengers during journeys. This is important for their comfort.
Aerodynamic study of trains and wagons
Like any vehicle, it’s important to optimize the airflow around a train, not least to reduce its energy impact. In this case, the same type of analysis is required as for a car. However, the operating conditions are different. For example, crossing trains and/or passing through a tunnel are stages to be considered.
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Equipment cooling study
In addition to the external CFD analyses mentioned above, internal car studies can be carried out to optimize heating or air conditioning, for example.
Such analyses (CHT) can also be carried out on specific components, such as braking systems, to ensure their efficiency and resistance under normal conditions, but also in the event of emergency braking.
Acoustics
Passenger comfort also involves acoustics. Acoustic analyses are thus carried out to ensure that the noise felt by passengers when passing over certain sections of track or crossing with another train is bearable.
Today, it’s crucial to control flows in urban areas. So it’s now possible to simulate the movements of people using different modes of transport for their urban mobility: train, bus, car, scooter, bike, electric bike, walk… modes of travel vary and so do the flows. The city of tomorrow will be connected and eco-responsible. It has a duty to make the best possible use of these different modes of transport, while promoting the most environmentally-friendly ones.
Traffic analysis
Traffic simulators can be used to model and analyze traffic in cities and regions. This enables us to understand how traffic works, identify congestion problems and find solutions to improve traffic flow.
Route optimization
Simulations can be used to optimize vehicle routes in real time. This can help drivers avoid traffic jams, find the shortest or fastest route to their destination, and save fuel.
Aircraft are obviously part of mobility, and numerical simulation tools are used extensively in this industry, which is more broadly part of the Aerospace sector.