A closed-loop dynamic simulation-based design method for articulated heavy vehicles with active trailer steering systems

This paper presents a closed-loop dynamic simulation-based design method for articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs) with active trailer steering (ATS) systems. AHVs have poor manoeuvrability at low speeds and exhibit low lateral stability at high speeds. From the design point of view, there exists a trade-off relationship between AHVs’ manoeuvrability and stability. For example, fewer articulation points and longer wheelbases will improve high-speed lateral stability, but they will degrade low-speed manoeuvrability. To tackle this conflicting design problem, a systematic method is proposed for the design of AHVs with ATS systems. In order to evaluate vehicle performance measures under a well-defined testing manoeuvre, a driver model is introduced and it ‘drivers’ the vehicle model to follow a prescribed route at a given speed. Considering the interactions between the mechanical trailer and the ATS system, the proposed design method simultaneously optimises the active design variables of the controllers and passive design variables of the trailer in a single design loop (SDL). Through the design optimisation of an ATS system for an AHV with a truck and a drawbar trailer combination, this SDL method is compared against a published two design loop method. The benchmark investigation shows that the former can determine better trade-off design solutions than those derived by the latter. This SDL method provides an effective approach to automatically implement the design synthesis of AHVs with ATS systems.

[1]  David Cebon,et al.  Dynamic safety of active trailer steering systems , 2008 .

[2]  Goldberg,et al.  Genetic algorithms , 1993, Robust Control Systems with Genetic Algorithms.

[3]  Stefan Edlund,et al.  THE INFLUENCE OF STEERED AXLES ON THE DYNAMIC STABILITY OF HEAVY VEHICLES , 1989 .

[4]  David E. Goldberg,et al.  Genetic Algorithms in Search Optimization and Machine Learning , 1988 .

[5]  Nezih Mrad,et al.  Sensitivity of rearward amplication control of a truck/full trailer to tyre cornering stiffness variations , 2001 .

[6]  Wilson J. Rugh,et al.  Interpolation of observer state feedback controllers for gain scheduling , 1999, IEEE Trans. Autom. Control..

[7]  H Prem,et al.  COMPARISON OF MODELLING SYSTEMS FOR PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY VEHICLES (PERFORMANCE BASED STANDARDS: NRTC/AUSTROADS PROJECT A3 AND A4): WORKING PAPER , 2001 .

[8]  Der Ho Wu,et al.  Analysis of dynamic lateral response for a multi-axle-steering tractor and trailer , 2003 .

[9]  David Cebon,et al.  COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF SEMI-TRAILER STEERING SYSTEMS , 2002 .

[10]  Yuping He,et al.  An Integrated Design Method for Articulated Heavy Vehicles with Active Trailer Steering Systems , 2010 .

[11]  John Lancaster,et al.  Optimization of the hydrotesting sequence in tank farm construction using an adaptive genetic algorithm with stochastic preferential logic , 2008 .

[12]  Huei Peng,et al.  VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL WITH ROLLOVER PREVENTION FOR ARTICULATED HEAVY TRUCKS , 2000 .

[13]  Manfred Plöchl,et al.  Driver models in automobile dynamics application , 2007 .

[14]  D. E. Goldberg,et al.  Genetic Algorithms in Search , 1989 .

[15]  J Edgar Development of performance standards for Australian heavy vehicles , 2004 .

[16]  Jo Yung Wong,et al.  Theory of ground vehicles , 1978 .

[17]  H. Weinert,et al.  Bryson, A. E./ Ho, Y.-C., Applied Optimal Control, Optimization, Estimation, and Control. New York-London-Sydney-Toronto. John Wiley & Sons. 1975. 481 S., £10.90 , 1979 .

[18]  H.-S. Jacob Tsao,et al.  Active trailer steering control of an articulated system with a tractor and three full trailers for tractor-track following , 2007 .

[19]  George M. Siouris,et al.  Applied Optimal Control: Optimization, Estimation, and Control , 1979, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[20]  Paul S. Fancher,et al.  USING BRAKING TO CONTROL THE LATERAL MOTIONS OF FULL TRAILERS , 1998 .

[21]  Paul S. Fancher,et al.  Directional performance issues in evaluation and design of articulated heavy vehicles , 2007 .

[22]  J. Meditch,et al.  Applied optimal control , 1972, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control.

[23]  David Cebon,et al.  Improving roll stability of articulated heavy vehicles using active semi-trailer steering , 2008 .

[24]  K. Rangavajhula,et al.  Command steering of trailers and command-steering-based optimal control of an articulated system for tractor-track following , 2008 .