Title: Lateral stability control of heavy-towing taxi-out based on differential braking

Authors: Jiahao Qin; Jiaqi Ma; Wei Zhang

Addresses: College of Aeronautical Engineering, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin, 300300, China; Aviation Special Ground Equipment Research Base, Tianjin, 300300, China; Key Laboratory of Smart Airport Theory and System, Tianjin, 300300, China ' College of Aeronautical Engineering, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin, 300300, China; Aviation Special Ground Equipment Research Base, Tianjin, 300300, China; Key Laboratory of Smart Airport Theory and System, Tianjin, 300300, China ' College of Aeronautical Engineering, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin, 300300, China; Aviation Special Ground Equipment Research Base, Tianjin, 300300, China; Key Laboratory of Smart Airport Theory and System, Tianjin, 300300, China

Abstract: The new mode of towing taxi-out consisting of rodless tractor and aircraft, is prone to extreme lateral instability accidents such as slipping and jack-knifing during high-speed turns. To address this issue, a ten-degree-of-freedom dynamic model of the aircraft towing system is established using the Lagrangian analysis method. This model does not consider constraints and limitations at hinge points. Based on this model, a high-speed turn differential braking controller uses yaw rate deviation as yaw moment controller inputs to determine their respective additional yaw moments, according to the braking strategy and braking moment allocation rules, the controller outputs the required braking moments for the target wheels. Finally, through Matlab/Simulink simulations, the steering angle input and initial speed are varied under J-turn and double lane change condition. This allows the delineation of safe and dangerous areas for steering angles and speeds in towing taxi-out mode, and a comparison of the control effectiveness of differential braking.

Keywords: Lagrangian analysis method; jack-knifing; differential braking; lateral stability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.2025.147053

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 2025 Vol.32 No.3, pp.368 - 391

Received: 19 Apr 2024
Accepted: 01 Jul 2024
Published online: 10 Jul 2025 *

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