These images were created as part of a group design project at university. The design brief was to improve the accessibility of a coach for the elderly and handicapped. Our design included a revolving first step which when operated would bring the lowest step below the coaches minimum ride height. After deciding upon the design and approximate dimensions the geometry was programmed into the FE pre/post processing program Patran. Both Shell and Beam elements were used to approximate the step in 3d space. To complete the analysis, the solver Abaqus was used. The top fringe plot shows how the step would deflect when experiencing maximum loading. The lower fringe plot represents how much the step twists under the same loading conditions. By varying the thickness of the elements used to form the step in the FE model, the actual thickness of the steps plate-work could be decided before any prototype need be tested.

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