Design Synthesis of Articulated Heavy Vehicles with Active Safety Systems Using a Parallel Computation Technique

Paper in proceeding, 2012

This paper presents a parallel design optimization method for articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs) with active safety systems (ASSs). In the past, a genetic algorithm (GA) has been applied to the design synthesis of AHVs and the objective function evaluations are usually computationally expensive. From a design point of view, the most challenging task is to deal with the trade-off relationship between unstable motion modes at high speeds and maneuverability at low speeds. To tackle the problem, a parallel computation technique with a master-slave system is proposed for the design of AVHs with ASSs. Active trailer steering (ATS), differential braking (DB) and anti-roll (AR) sub-systems are combined in an integrated ASS. Considering the interaction between the mechanical trailer and ASS, the proposed design method simultaneously optimizes the active design variables of the controllers and passive design variables of the trailers in a single design loop using the master-slave computing system. The proposed method provides an effective approach to the design synthesis of AHVs with ASSs using a parallel computation technique.