Introduction to Automotive Structure and Body Department

With great honor and respect, welcome to the School of Automotive Engineering, Automotive Structure and Body Department.

As one of the largest and most active departments related to the field of automotive structures in the country, this department annually welcomes talented students at the master's and doctoral levels.

Faculty Members and Collaborations

• Core Members: 3 faculty members work specifically and professionally in this department.
• Academic Collaborations: Professors from other departments are utilized for teaching elective courses and advising master's and doctoral theses.

Student Admission

• Annual Capacity: Admitting about 4 to 6 doctoral students and 14 master's students in daytime, evening, self-governing campus, and e-learning programs.
• Brilliant Talents Admission: Allocating limited capacity for recruiting top students (without exam) from Iran University of Science and Technology and other top universities in the country.
• Post-doctoral Program: Welcoming doctoral graduates to complete this program provided they meet the necessary conditions.

Faculty's Specialized and Research Areas

The professors of this department possess valuable expertise and experience in various fields, including: design of automotive components and systems, crash mechanics, safety and ergonomics, structural analysis, body and joints, structural vibrations in vehicles, applied materials and manufacturing processes, optimization, fracture mechanics and fatigue, vehicle aerodynamics and advanced technologies, as well as modeling and finite element methods.

Facilities and Research Achievements

• Laboratories and Workshops: The Structure and Body Department has well-equipped centers such as the "Vehicle Dynamical Systems", "Vehicle Simulation and Optimal Design", and "Structures and Fluids" laboratories.
• Research Output: The results of research are continuously presented in the form of national and international patents, the publication of valid books and articles, and the execution of industrial projects to meet the country's needs.

Industry Connection and Graduates' Career Prospects

Many research activities are carried out in direct interaction with the country's industries to solve their current problems. Most graduates of this major are employed in fields related to their discipline in auto parts manufacturing industries, automakers' research centers, service companies, standard institutes, and scientific and academic centers, and a large number of them are among the successful entrepreneurs of the country.

Research Areas of Automotive Structure and Body

1. Design, Analysis, and Optimization in Vehicles

Design is a creative matter that can be examined from different perspectives. It can range from a simple scheme to a complex assembly. For a vehicle, the subject can be approached from the perspective of component design, the design of an internal vehicle assembly, and also the design of a complete vehicle. In the design and development of a structural component, it is necessary to consider the requirements of that component according to needs assessment and standards. In system design, the entirety of processes is traversed step-by-step in a systematic path until the final product is realized as a prototype. Pioneering organizations are those that attach greater importance to research and development and, by relying on classical education in this area, can institutionalize innovation and creativity. Undoubtedly, design and analysis in the automotive field is one of the extremely essential and fundamental needs of the country, requiring many specialists to be trained in it so they can be effective in meeting existing needs. Furthermore, during product development, optimal conditions must always be considered in order to achieve more desirable results using targeted methods. Optimization methods are highly diverse, and it is essential to exercise sufficient care in selecting the appropriate method for each research area.

2. Crash Mechanics and Energy Absorption

Vehicle crashes have been highly regarded by manufacturers and customers since the very dawn of the automobile decades ago. Therefore, the issue of passenger safety during a crash and various facilities to prevent crashes is a serious concern that has attracted the attention of many researchers and industrialists, who approach it from various theoretical aspects, computational methods, and the use of real tests. Especially in our country, which has a high rate of road fatalities due to accidents, more scientific and research activities need to be carried out in this regard. In order to reduce injury to passengers, the energy resulting from a crash must be absorbed using various methods so that the vehicle cabin and, consequently, its occupants endure the least impact during an accident. The use of different methods in the design of structural components and their subsequent analysis theoretically or numerically is widely presented in reputable scientific journals and is considered by pioneering global automakers to elevate standards and produce competitive products.

3. Vibrations and Ergonomics

Today, the continuous advancement of vehicles to satisfy customer opinions in the fierce competition among manufacturers is essential. Passenger comfort from the perspective of controlling vibrations transmitted to the cabin, enhancing passenger convenience, and considering ergonomic factors is an integral part of vehicle design. Components and assemblies are subjected to vibrational analysis in various frequency ranges. The analysis of transmitted vibrations, which can cause shaking and noise, can be performed from a theoretical standpoint, through computer simulation with the help of various software, as well as using laboratory facilities. In addition, when designing a vehicle, ergonomic requirements—especially from the perspective of specialized standards—must be properly observed. The deep understanding and development of the specialized sections of this field are very extensive and can encompass a wide variety of subjects.

4. Materials and Manufacturing Methods

The methods and processes of manufacturing automotive parts are highly extensive due to the variety of components and different materials present in a vehicle. Metallic and non-metallic materials with different properties are used in the structural components of a vehicle body, which are produced through various methods. Understanding manufacturing methods and applying appropriate quality tools to achieve a part and, consequently, a high-quality vehicle is of utmost importance. To this end, methods of manufacturing, coating, and joining parts, component assembly strategies in vehicles, as well as various tests according to national or international standards are constantly developing and hold a special place, particularly from the perspective of automakers and researchers in this field. The expansiveness of this research area is equivalent to the breadth of all industries and is considered an engine of progress for a country. For this reason, many countries striving to embark on the path of development take steps towards creating an automotive industry to institutionalize the foundations of technology in their industrial society.

5. Product Life Cycle and Durability

The science of mechanics for the life and durability of a product can be examined from the perspective of fracture mechanics and fatigue. It is always necessary to analyze the acceptable level of performance until the end of the product's life cycle when manufacturing and utilizing a part in a vehicle, so that premature failure of the part does not cause acute problems and, in particular, injury to passengers. The use of suitable materials, knowing their properties, and applying manufacturing and joining methods must be researched in theoretical, simulation, and laboratory investigations to understand a part's lifespan. To advance production, various tests must be conducted to examine the performance of a part or an assembly of parts, and it must be kept under control at different stages.

Faculty Members