The second moment of area is a measure of the ability of a structure to resist bending/deformation, and is denoted with I and units expressed as cm4, mm4 or m4. The higher the value of I, the more rigid the structure.
Since the requirements for underrun protection are based on a specific maximum deflection, vehicle frames must correspond to the rigidity components are designed and tested for at VBG.
Simply put, small frames are weaker than large frames, but because the boundary can be difficult to determine, you need to be able to understand and calculate the value for your own structures. Geometry data can usually be downloaded from bodybuilder instructions.
How is it calculated?
The calculation bases for beam bending are shown below, where I is an important element in the formula for deflection.
What is the requirement?
I = 5,700 cm4 is a minimum requirement and means that the frame on the truck must equal or exceed this value in order for a potential deflection to remain within certified levels. Owing to the new UNECE R58 Revision 3 regulations, we need to develop products with greater resistance to bending/deformation than before.
If you would like to know more about what the new regulations entail, Tobias (whose daily work involves future product development projects, legislation and standards) has compiled a summary of the UNECE R58 revision 3 regulations.
