Lateral dynamics simulation of a three-wheeled tilting vehicle

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Citations (SciVal)
667 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A novel tilting three-wheeled vehicle was developed at the University of Bath as part of a project funded by the European Union. The space and weight savings provided by this type of vehicle could be a solution to the pollution and congestion problems seen in urban environments. The direct tilt control method originally implemented on the prototype was shown to perform well in the steady state, but rapid transients were shown to lead potentially to rollover instability. To investigate this phenomenon and to design an improved controller, a multi-body model was combined with a lateral dynamics single-track model to predict both the steady-state behaviour and the transient behaviour. With this model, it was possible to obtain an accurate representation of the kinematic and dynamic roll motions of the vehicle and the resultant weight transfer across the rear axle, together with the lateral dynamics of the vehicle. The simple lateral dynamics model provided an easily understood physical representation of the system which can often be hidden in a complex multi-body model. This paper presents the development of the model and its validation against data from static and dynamic tests.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)342-356
Number of pages15
JournalProceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering
Volume229
Issue number3
Early online date18 Aug 2014
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2015

Keywords

  • alternative vehicle designs, automobiles: multi-body dynamics, automotive

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Lateral dynamics simulation of a three-wheeled tilting vehicle'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this