Stability and Control Considerations of Vehicle-Trailer Combination
Date Published: 2008-04-14
Paper Number:2008-01-1228
DOI: 10.4271/2008-01-1228
Citation:
Hac, A., Fulk, D., and Chen, H., "Stability and Control Considerations of Vehicle-Trailer Combination," SAE Int. J. Passeng. Cars - Mech. Syst. 1(1):925-937, 2009, doi:10.4271/2008-01-1228.
In this paper, dynamics and stability of an articulated vehicle in the yaw plane are examined through analysis, simulations, and vehicle testing. Control of a vehicle-trailer combination using active braking of the towing vehicle is discussed. A linear analytical model describing lateral and yaw motions of a vehicle-trailer combination is used to study the effects of parameter variations of the trailer on the dynamic stability of the system and limitations of different control strategies.
The results predicted by the analytical model are confirmed by testing using a vehicle with a trailer in several configurations. Design of the trailer makes it possible to vary several critical parameters of the trailer. The test data for vehicle with trailer in different configurations is used to validate the detailed non-linear simulation model of the vehicle-trailer combination. Analysis and the simulation model are used to examine the advantages and limitations of two active brake control methods: the uniform braking and the direct yaw moment (DYM) control of the towing vehicle.
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