High-speed lateral stability and trajectory tracking performance for a tractor-semitrailer with active trailer steering

Abstract

An active trailer steering (ATS) controller is investigated to improve the lateral stability and trajectory tracking performance of the tractor-semitrailer. First of all, a linear yaw-roll dynamic model of the tractor-semitrailer with steerable trailer wheels is established, and the model accuracy is verified. Then a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) for actively steering the trailer’s wheels is designed. For the LQR controller, the lateral acceleration and the sideslip angle at the center of gravity (CG) of the trailer are taken as the optimization objectives, and the steering angle of the wheel on the middle axle of the trailer is set as the control input. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed controller is tested based on the co-simulation platform under the single lane-change (SLC) maneuver at the speed of 100 km/h and the double lane-change (DLC) maneuver at the speed of 80 km/h and 88km/h. Research results show that under the high-speed SLC maneuver, the designed LQR controller can significantly improves the lateral stability and trajectory tracking performance of the trailer, and cannot affect apparently the trajectory and dynamic responses of the tractor. Under the high-speed DLC maneuver, the designed controller can still make the tractor-semitrailer reach a new steady state in a short time, and improve the vehicle lateral stability and the trajectory tracking performance of the trailer at the same time.

Research of the crankshaft high cycle bending fatigue experiment design method based on the modified unscented Kalman filtering algorithm and the SAFL approach

“…As introduced in the above chapter, the acceleration of the loading stage is achieved based on the prediction of the failure time node during this stage. At present, the residual life prediction and some related health monitoring research has been carried out based on various kinds of models and methods [28][29][30][31][32], but the object of prediction among these researches are usually the working life or some other parameters, not the fatigue life. In the published related studies, most of the fatigue life predictions are carried out based on the S-N curve of the material.…”

Trajectory tracking for agricultural tractor based on improved fuzzy sliding mode control

“…In addition to the methods mentioned above, other contributions are also available, such as Zhao et al [ 28 ] used force sensor to eliminate the uncertainty of the parameters of the trailers and developed a trajectory tracking controller based on backstepping techniques. To improve the stability and trajectory tracking performance, a linear dynamic model for the tractor was established and a linear quadratic regulator was designed by setting sideslip angle and lateral acceleration as optimization objectives [ 29 ]. However, the above-mentioned methods all consider the ideal model of the tractor.…”