Design of an Anti-Roll System for a FIA GT3 Vehicle

This master’s thesis presents the design and analytical development of an anti-roll system for a GT3-class racing vehicle, conducted in collaboration with Podium Advanced Technologies within an official FIA homologation program. The work combines vehicle dynamics, structural design, and computational optimization to define a suspension subsystem capable of meeting the performance, durability, and regulatory constraints of GT3 endurance competition. The project’s objective is to conceive, model, and validate a passive mechanical anti-roll mechanism that ensures compliant roll stiffness, structural integrity, and adjustability within the packaging limitations of a high-performance racing chassis. The study begins with an overview of the FIA GT3 framework, where Balance of Performance regulations and endurance reliability requirements govern system design. Within this context, the anti-roll bar is a key tuning element that allows engineers to manage lateral load transfer, understeer–oversteer balance, and tire usage. A structured workflow was developed to ensure full traceability from vehicle-level targets to detailed component design. Roll-angle objectives were derived through statistical analysis of telemetry data and simulation studies, defining realistic stiffness ranges for front and rear axles. Analytical models describing roll motion and load transfer were formulated to translate these targets into equivalent torsional stiffness at component level. A benchmarking phase identified the most suitable anti-roll configurations, leading to the selection of an adjustable blade-type layout offering a broad and repeatable stiffness range. A kinematic model built in CATIA V5 defined the installation space, verified clearances, and assessed serviceability within the chassis. Material selection was guided by mechanical and manufacturing criteria, comparing steels, titanium, and composites using Ashby-based performance charts. A computational tool developed in MATLAB models the anti-roll system as an assembly of beam elements, computing global stiffness and stress distributions while integrating an optimization routine that balances stiffness, weight, and safety margins. Finite Element Analysis performed in Altair HyperMesh confirmed the validity of the analytical approach, with good correlation in both deformation and stress fields. The verification strategy focused on extreme and misuse load cases representative of endurance racing, ensuring robustness without requiring full fatigue assessment. The results demonstrate that a simulation-driven, analytically grounded workflow can streamline suspension design, improve predictive accuracy, and reduce iteration time. The methodology effectively bridges vehicle dynamics, analytical mechanics, and structural verification, providing a reproducible framework for future applications in motorsport and high-performance vehicle engineering.