Noise and Vibration Control in Automotive Bodies

1Introduction

1.1 Automotive Body Structure and Noise and Vibration Problems

1.1.1 Automotive Body Structure

An automotive structure, including the body, power train, suspension, and so on, is very complex. The main systems of the vehicle are “hung” on the body – for example, the power plant is connected with the body by mountings, the suspension is connected with the body by bushings or directly connected with the body, and the exhaust system is connected with the body by hangers – so the body is a core of the vehicle and determines the vehicle’s performance. However, the body is also a place for carrying passengers, so its structural characteristics directly influence the perception of the vehicle’s users.

1.1.1.1 Unitized Body and Body‐on‐Frame

There are two major forms of automotive structure: the unitized body and the body‐on‐frame. When the body and the chassis frame are integrated as a whole structure, as shown in Figure 1.1, this is known as a unitized body, also called an integrated body or integral body. The unitized body itself takes the load of vehicle, rather than the load being taken by an independent frame. The advantages of a unitized body include its simple structure, small size, light weight, and low cost, but its disadvantage is that the body’s loading capacity is limited. Most passenger vehicles have a unitized body.

Figure 1.1 Structure of a united ...