Intelligent vs. sliding mode control in rollover prevention of tractor-semitrailers

In this paper, a new algorithm is used to control a model of a tractor-semitrailer. The model is previously derived, validated and a sliding mode control is also tested which demonstrates reasonable performance. The oscillatory motions of the vehicle motivate using an alternative control algorithm to improve passenger comfort and safety. In this paper, an algorithm inspired by the brain limbic system is considered to enhance the performance of the system. The main improvements are the smoother roll and yaw performances, limited excursions of the roll angle, and cheaper control actions. The sliding mode control offers better performance in certain limited respects, e.g. better yaw-rate tracking in braking and lower roll angles in acceleration. The control performances are compared for three simulations of braking, acceleration and cornering.