An automated design synthesis method for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles

Journal article, 2013

This paper presents an automated design synthesis method for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs) to coordinate the trade-off between the manoeuvrability and stability. Conventionally, the design synthesis of MTAHVs is based on trial and error approaches. This is difficult, time-consuming and tedious. To tackle this problem, a design method is proposed. The method has the following features: 1) vehicle modelling, performance evaluation, and design selection are implemented by computers; 2) a MTAHV model is introduced in the design optimisation; 3) in the closed-loop simulation, testing manoeuvres are emulated such that a driver model 'drives' the virtual MTAHV to follow a predefined trajectory. To test the method, the combination of a tractor and two semitrailers are optimised. It is indicated that the conflicting criteria of manoeuvrability and stability can be simultaneously improved. The approach may identify desired design variables and predict performance envelopes in early design stages of MTAHVs.