Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

WHEEL ARCH ANALYS

Wheel arch can be defined as the arch in the fender that provides space for the wheels to fit in the right place with a offset for the suspension to be placed. There should be particular gap that maintained between the wheel and edge of the the wheel arch for the padestrian safety. This safety rules can varies depend upon the country. All the fender designs that made by the class A designer under goes a wheel arch analysis by engineer to check whether the design satisfies the safety regulation in the particular country.

European regulation:

In european regulation there are 4 points considered around the wheel arch of the fender. When viewed from the top the gap between these points and the outer surface of the wheel should be more than 10 mm. These four points can be pointed on the wheel arch with help of the below image.

The points A,B,C,D can be marked as in the image. The angle E-30 degree and F-50 degree.

Then on the on top view, the distance between the points (A', B', C',D') and the outer surface of the wheel is measured. For European safety standard this gap should be more than 10mm.

In the given fender and the wheel design the gap beween all those points and the outer surface of the wheel is less 10 mm. Only one point satisfies the rule and other points doesn't. So the given fender fails on European safety standard and should be modified.