Title: Influence of the braking force distribution on the directional stability of commercial vehicles

Authors: E.-C. Von Glasner, R. Povel, K. Wust

Addresses: Mercedes-Benz AG, Stuttgart, Germany. ' Mercedes-Benz AG, Stuttgart, Germany. ' Mercedes-Benz AG, Stuttgart, Germany

Abstract: A commercial vehicle with good active safety is singled out for distinction, in that it remains stable during critical situations and that can be controlled and brought to a safe standstill by the driver. Previous investigations have shown that the instantaneous braking force distribution between the front and the rear axle of a commercial vehicle is the dominant factor in the stability of the vehicle while braking. In this paper, the influence of the braking force distribution on the driving performance is investigated for different commercial vehicles with the aid of a simulation system. The results indicate that disharmonization of the braking force distribution may lead to situations which are not controllable any more by the driver. When equipping the vehicle with an anti-lock system, driving safety can be essentially improved. But the performance of the anti-lock system is also distinctly influenced by the layout of the braking system.

Keywords: braking force distribution; commercial vehicles; directional stability; vehicle braking; driving performance; simulation; anti-lock braking; driving safety; vehicle safety; braking system layout.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.1996.054574

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 1996 Vol.3 No.1/2/3/4, pp.438 - 449

Published online: 18 Jun 2013 *

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