Eduardo Alvarez Resume (PDF, opens in a new tab)
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02 / Analysis / Vehicle dynamics

Tire behavior & setup analysis

Using Formula SAE Tire Test Consortium data and MATLAB to connect tire behavior with tire selection, suspension development, and vehicle setup decisions.

Team / Role
Husker Motorsports Formula SAE
Suspension / Vehicle Dynamics Director
Project focus
Tire data & vehicle setup
Tools & methods
MATLAB · Tire-data analysis · Handling balance
Tire-data fit plot showing a colored surface and black data points across the FY, SA, and FZ axes
Where the rubber meets the roadView full-size image (opens in a new tab)

01 / Context

Project overview

Tire selection and vehicle setup depend on how the tire responds under different conditions. I use Formula SAE Tire Test Consortium data to examine those relationships and connect them to suspension and vehicle dynamics decisions.

The analysis considers lateral force, slip angle, cornering stiffness, pressure, inclination angle, and vertical load. These variables help frame tire behavior within the wider questions of load transfer, suspension kinematics, and handling balance.

MATLAB tire-data fit plot with a colored surface and black data points
Tire-data analysisA fitted surface alongside the tire data used to examine force, slip angle, and vertical load.

02 / Tire Analysis

Tire Decision

  • Developed a MATLAB script to input Tire data to Pacejka Magic Formula.
  • Compared lateral force, slip angle, cornering stiffness, pressure, inclination angle, and vertical load.
  • Used relationships in the tire data to inform tire selection and setup decisions.
  • Analyzed load transfer, suspension kinematics, and handling balance as part of vehicle dynamics development.

04 / Gallery

More from this project

Pressure & inclination comparisons

Additional analysis figures coming soon.

More from this project

Setup decisions & validation

Further plots and supporting images coming soon.