A Lateral Dynamic Model of a Tractor-Trailer: Experimental Validation

The SAFETRUCK program focuses on preventing accidents on rural highways, especially those associated with run-off-the-road incidents and driver fatigue, by giving the vehicle the ability to steer to the side of the road and come to a safe stop if the driver falls asleep or is otherwise incapacitated. Researchers have equipped a Navistar 9400 series class 8 truck tractor with the sensors and control computers necessary to perform this task.

Designing the controller that will steer the truck requires a mathematical model of the lateral response of the truck to steering inputs. In this project, researchers developed a lateral dynamic model by incorporating second order dynamics into the steering axle tires. Simulation of the resulting models indicated dynamic behavior that was close to the experimental data for speeds between 15 and 30 miles per hour. This is the first time that a lateral dynamic model of a truck has been experimentally verified. Both models, however, resulted in experimentally determined values for steering axle cornering stiffness that were considerably smaller than published values for the Goodyear G 159 tires on the truck.