A new method for off-tracking eliminating in a tractor semi-trailer Online publication date: Sun, 27-Mar-2016
by S. Hamed Tabatabaei Oreh; Reza Kazemi; Shahram Azadi
International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems (IJHVS), Vol. 23, No. 2, 2016
Abstract: A new method is presented to eliminate the off-tracking leading to manoeuvrability improvement of a tractor semi-trailer. A reference model generating a desired articulation angle is derived based on geometric and kinematic analysis. The tracking of the desired value ensures that the rear end of the semi-trailer unit follows the path of the fifth wheel. The inputs to the reference model are the yaw rate, longitudinal and lateral velocity of the tractor unit, while the output is the desired articulation angle. A fuzzy-supervised PID controller is designed to make the actual articulation angle track the proposed desired value by active semi-trailer steering. Computer simulations including low speed 360 degree turn and high speed lane change manoeuvres show the significant effects of the proposed method on improving the manoeuvrability of the articulated vehicle. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the method against the errors in the input variables of the reference model is evaluated.
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