Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Horizontal curves on downgrades, commonly found in mountainous terrain, have higher crash rates and severity than tangents or pure curves. The lateral stability of tractor-semitrailers on such curves is a significant concern due to their heavy load, high center of gravity, and long-distance use. The combined impact of highway alignments and truck configurations has not been comprehensively studied due to data limitations. To address the high cost of experimental tests, a high-fidelity vehicle dynamics simulation model is used to investigate the rollover and sideslip propensity of tractor-semitrailers navigating curves on downgrades with varying geometric designs and truck characteristics. Lateral Transfer Ratio and side friction demand are used as criteria for rollover and sideslip stability, respectively. The multi-step Taguchi method is applied to identify the most influential factors on lateral stability. Results show that the tractor static toe angles (axle 1) have the most significant impact on sideslip stability, followed by tractor static toe angles (axle 2 & 3) and tractor yaw stiffness. The trailer height of load significantly affects rollover stability, followed by tractor axle 2 longitudinal distance and trailer static toe angle. Longitudinal slope has the greatest impact on rollover and sideslip stability, while the radius of the horizontal curve has the least effect. Focusing on these influential factors, rather than numerous tractor-semitrailer parameters, could aid in optimizing vehicle and highway design, as well as traffic control and management.

Keywords

tractor-semitrailer stability combined alignment rollover propensity sideslip analysis highway geometric design lateral stability TruckSim simulation Taguchi method

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Federal Highway Administration. Horizontal curve safety, https://highways.dot.gov/safety/rwd/keep-vehicles-road/horizontal-curve-safety (2019, accessed 10 May 2024).

Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security in China. 2015 annual report on road traffic accident statistics. Report, Research Institute of Traffic Management, Ministry of Public Security, China, January 2016.

Kihlberg

Tharp

KJ.

Accident rates as related to design elements of rural highways. Report, Transportation Research Board, USA, May 1968.

Dunlap

Fancher

Scott

, et al. Influence of combined highway grade and horizontal alignment on skidding. Report, Transportation Research Board, USA, 1978.

Donoughe

KM.

Evaluating the effectiveness of electronic stability systems in reducing truck rollovers. PhD Thesis, Virginia Tech, USA, 2010.

Ritchie

McCoy

Welde

WL.

A study of the relation between forward velocity and lateral acceleration in curves during normal driving. Hum Factors 1968; 10: 255–258.

Liu

Wang

Zhang

. A vehicle stability study of combined alignments on mountainous freeways: a driving simulator-based approach. In: CICTP 2016, Shanghai, China, 6–9 July 2016, pp.1546–57. Reston: ASCE.

Tan

CH.

An investigation of comfortable lateral acceleration on horizontal curves. PhD Thesis, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 2005.

Yang

, et al. A dynamic rollover prediction index of heavy-duty vehicles with a real-time parameter estimation algorithm using NLMS method. IEEE Trans Veh Technol 2022; 71: 2734–2748.

10.

Kamnik

Boettiger

Hunt

Roll dynamics and lateral load transfer estimation in articulated heavy freight vehicles. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part D: J Automob Eng 2003; 217: 985–997.

11.

Lundahl

Lee

Frisk

, et al. Analyzing rollover indices for critical truck maneuvers. SAE Int J Commer Veh 2015; 8: 189–196.

12.

Davis

Morris

Achtemeier

, et al. In-vehicle dynamic curve-speed warnings at high-risk rural curves. Report, University of Minnesota, USA, March 2018.

13.

Deng

Chu

, et al. Curve safe speed model considering driving style based on driver behaviour questionnaire. Transp Res Part F Traffic Psychol Behav 2019; 65: 536–547.

14.

Ellis

. A model of semi trailer vehicles including the roll modes of motion. Veh Syst Dyn 1977; 6: 124–129.

15.

Chen

Tomizuka

Dynamic modeling of tractor-semitrailer vehicles in automated highway systems. Report, University of California, USA, July 1995.

16.

Hyun

Predictive modeling and active control of rollover in heavy vehicles. PhD Thesis, Texas A&M University, USA, 2001.

17.

Brennan

Hamblin

. Utilization of vehicle dynamic simulations as predictors of highway safety. In: ASME international mechanical engineering congress and exposition, Washington, DC, USA, 11–15 November 2007, paper no. IMECE2007–42195, pp.157–166. New York: ASME.

18.

Stine

Hamblin

Brennan

, et al. Analyzing the influence of median cross-section design on highway safety using vehicle dynamics simulations. Accid Anal Prev 2010; 42: 1769–1777.

19.

Zhang

Meng

Wang

, et al. Sideslip risk simulation analysis of passenger car braking behavior on expressway curved sections. China J Highw Transp 2015; 28: 134–142.

20.

Namaghi

NS.

Approaching effective parameters of multi-trailer articulated vehicles in S-turns with co-simulation of TruckSim and Taguchi method. Int J Automot Eng 2019; 9: 3110–3124.

21.

JTG D20–2017:2017. Specifications for highway geometric design.

22.

Chen

Peng

Rollover warning for articulated heavy vehicles based on a time-to-rollover metric. J Dyn Syst Meas Control 2005; 127: 406–414.

23.

Yang

Qiu

The conditions and influencing factors of trucks’ roll-over during turning. Mech Eng 2019; 41: 393–397.

24.

Fan

Chen

, et al. Speed calculation model and simulation of rollover prevention in condition of extreme turn based on lateral force coefficient. Trans Chin Soc Agric Eng 2016; 32: 41–47.

25.

Furtado

A vehicle stability on combined horizontal and vertical alignments. PhD Thesis, Carleton University, Canada, 2002.

26.

Chang

TH.

Effect of vehicles’ suspension on highway horizontal curve design. J Transp Eng 2001; 127: 89–91.

27.

Woodrooffe

Sweatman

Middleton

, et al. Review of Canadian experience with the regulation of large commercial motor vehicles. Report, Transportation Research Board, USA, 2010.

28.

JTG B01–2014: 2014. Technical standard of highway engineering.

Taguchi-based impact analysis of highway geometric design and truck configurations on rollover and sideslip propensity

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References