Investigation of the structural and weight optimization of vehicle roof-rack mounting brackets using finite element analysis

Karaçor B., Surkuç M.

11th INTERNATIONAL ISPEC CONGRESS ON CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, Riga, Letonya, 1 - 07 Temmuz 2026, ss.223-243, (Tam Metin Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Riga
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Letonya
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.223-243
  • Çukurova Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Roof-mounted luggage carrier systems are elements that must maintain their structural stability under the weight of the loads placed on them and are directly subjected to static stresses. In this study, static analysis of mounting brackets designed in different geometric dimensions was performed to examine the structural integrity and static behavior of roof luggage carrier mounting brackets. Within the scope of the study, 6 different model configurations were developed: 2 pairs of 3 cm high solid (3FD), 3 cm high hollow (3ED), 2 cm high solid (2FD), 2 cm high hollow (2ED) mounting brackets, and 2FD4 and 2ED4, which are 2 cm high solid-hollow mounting brackets with 4 mounting brackets. The hollow designs contain a 1 mm thick support connection. Aluminum alloy, commonly preferred in the automotive industry, was chosen as the material. The designs of the models were created using a computer-aided technical design program, and their structural static analyses were performed using a finite element analysis program. A constant load of 100 kg (981 N) was applied to the designs in the vertical direction, considering automotive standards and load capacity limits; the total deformation, maximum Von Mises stress, and safety factor were obtained as a result of the analyses.According to the analysis findings, hollow designs are on average 6.4 times lighter than solid designs, but solid models offer higher safety by minimizing deformation. When the 2 cm high hollow models were examined, it was determined that the 2ED4 design, in which the number of legs was increased from 2 to 4, reduced the amount of deformation by 2 times and increased the safety factor by 1.93 times to 4.47 compared to the 2ED design. The results show that when lightness, cost, and structural reliability criteria are evaluated together, the 2ED model offers the most ideal solution in terms of weight optimization and structural adequacy in roof rack applications.