Roll dynamics and lateral load transfer estimation in articulated heavy freight vehicles

Abstract

Abstract

Roll dynamics in heavy freight vehicles is characterized in driving conditions by the lateral load transfer coefficient. The coefficient tracking requires sophisticated measurement systems for assessing the wheels’ normal loading. In this paper a new recursive non-linear lateral load transfer estimator employing sensors that are already used on a vehicle in combination with additional units that are not sophisticated for the implementation is described. The proposed algorithm integrates two subsystems—separate estimators for the tractor and the trailer. The first estimator is based on slip information of the driving wheels, while the second estimator fuses the tractor estimation and the modelled trailer dynamics by the extended Kalman filter. The novel approach was evaluated on a sophisticated computer simulator of the Freightliner Century Class tractor semitrailer. The simulation analysis shows that the proposed algorithm provides robust operation and good tracking performance. This approach enables a practical realization of a low-cost solution for the rollover prevention in real heavy freight vehicles.