Title: Using the Milliken Moment Method and dynamic simulation to evaluate vehicle stability and controllability

Authors: Robert C. Hoffman, Jeffrey L. Stein, Loucas S. Louca, Kunsoo Huh

Addresses: Signal.X Technologies, Milford, Michigan, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2125, USA. ' Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, 75 Kallipoleos Avenue, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia, 1678, Cyprus. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-Dong, Sungdong-Ku, Seoul 133-791, Korea

Abstract: The Milliken Moment Method (MMM) effectively organises kinematically constrained vehicle test results. The authors present a method for evaluating vehicle handling; assessing the overall performance capability with the MMM then using the closed-loop dynamic simulation to determine how much of that performance is used for a real manoeuvre. By mapping the simulation data onto the yaw moment-lateral acceleration diagram from the MMM, this method explicitly quantifies the tradeoff between vehicle controllability and stability. Results from a design case study and comparison of the stability measure to phase plane analysis are presented and show the potential efficacy of the proposed approach.

Keywords: vehicle simulation; vehicle handling; vehicle stability; controllability; vehicle design; vehicle control; Milliken moment method; yaw moment; lateral acceleration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2008.021156

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2008 Vol.48 No.1/2, pp.132 - 148

Published online: 06 Nov 2008 *

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