Title: An automated design synthesis method for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles

Authors: Yuping He; Md. Manjurul Islam; Dhruv Oberoi

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: This paper presents an automated design synthesis method for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs) to coordinate the trade-off between the manoeuvrability and stability. Conventionally, the design synthesis of MTAHVs is based on trial and error approaches. This is difficult, time-consuming and tedious. To tackle this problem, a design method is proposed. The method has the following features: 1) vehicle modelling, performance evaluation, and design selection are implemented by computers; 2) a MTAHV model is introduced in the design optimisation; 3) in the closed-loop simulation, testing manoeuvres are emulated such that a driver model 'drives' the virtual MTAHV to follow a predefined trajectory. To test the method, the combination of a tractor and two semitrailers are optimised. It is indicated that the conflicting criteria of manoeuvrability and stability can be simultaneously improved. The approach may identify desired design variables and predict performance envelopes in early design stages of MTAHVs.

Keywords: automated design synthesis; design optimisation; simulation based design; multi-trailer articulated vehicles; MTAHVs; heavy vehicles; manoeuvrability; lateral stability; vehicle modelling; performance evaluation; design selection; tractor semitrailers; vehicle performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVP.2013.058280

International Journal of Vehicle Performance, 2013 Vol.1 No.2, pp.183 - 204

Received: 29 May 2012
Accepted: 18 Mar 2013

Published online: 12 Jul 2014 *

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