Title: Design validation of active trailer steering systems for improving the low-speed manoeuvrability of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles using driver-hardware/software-in-the-loop real-time simulations

Authors: Qiushi Wang; Yuping He

Addresses: Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada ' Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: This paper presents a design validation method for active trailer steering (ATS) for improving low-speed manoeuvrability of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs) using driver-hardware/software-in-the-loop (DH/SIL) simulations. A numerical-optimisation-based design of a MTAHV with ATS was reported. The ATS is featured with two controllers, one for improving the manoeuvrability and the other for enhancing the stability. To validate the design for minimising the path-following off-tracking (PFOT), real-time simulations are conducted on a DH/SIL platform fabricated by combining a vehicle simulator with two physical ATS axles. The PFOT controller is reconstructed and integrated with the real-time MTAHV model for DH/SIL simulations. A benchmark is performed for three designs: 1) without the PFOT controller and the physical ATS axles; 2) only with the PFOT controller; 3) with both the PFOT controller and the ATS axles. The benchmark validates the reported design and demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed design validation method.

Keywords: design validation; driver hardware/software-in-the-loop simulation; real-time simulation; DH/SIL; multi-trailer AHVs; articulated heavy vehicles; MTAHVs; active trailer steering; ATS; path following off tracking; PFOT; low-speed manoeuvrability; numerical optimisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVP.2015.074123

International Journal of Vehicle Performance, 2015 Vol.2 No.1, pp.58 - 84

Received: 14 Oct 2014
Accepted: 02 Sep 2015
Published online: 11 Jan 2016 *

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