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The present state of knowledge on the handling behavior of articulated combination trucks is based on parametric studies made through truck model simulations. A detailed yaw-lurch planar mathematical model for articulated log-hauling combination doglogger trucks is developed in this study. Further, a thorough kinematic and dynamic analyses of log-hauling combination trucks, incorporating a sliding drawbar is carried out and the governing equations for the lateral and yaw planar motions are derived. Using a computer simulation model, the directional performance and the yaw and lateral stability of these articulated vehicles are fully investigated through a transient and harmonic response analyses. Finally, a parameter sensitivity analysis was carried out for different variables involved in the simulation model, to study the sensitivity of the steady-state response to various parameters.

In this study a detailed mathematical model for various design configurations of tractor-pole trailer combinations, incorporating a sliding drawbar, is developed. Furthermore, a kinematic and dynamic analysis for this vehicle combination is carried out and a computer simulation model is developed. Some results for kinematic performance and parameter variations of pole trailer-truck combinations are also presented. Additional results for dynamic and stability analysis are obtained through a transient and harmonic response analysis, and a parametric sensitivity study is carried out.

The transmission of road-generated vibrations to a vehicle body is treated as a source-path-receiver problem. The suspension system acts as the bidirectional path for transmitting forces and movements from the body to the wheels. Certain limitations are imposed by passive components such as springs and dampers. However, improved suspension performance is achieved if an active element is employed to control forces and relative velocities. The complexity, power requirements and cost of fully active suspensions have restricted their use. In optimally controlled active suspensions with either full or incomplete state feedback there exists a trade off between system performance and the overall stiffness. Most of the reported investigations on the optimal active suspensions indicate that the performance measure depends on the input signal, in this case being the road surface irregularities. An adaptive control technique for active vehicle suspension is presented in this paper.

Usually, vehicles driven under different road conditions are subjected to various forces and moments. An uneven input force originating from road surface could be one of the major load affecting ride comfort or body vibration. In order to investigate the ride and handling characteristics of a tandem axle truck, a three dimensional mathematical model is developed, and the equations of motion for the proposed model with fourteen degrees-of-freedom are derived. Various numerical techniques are used to solve this complex matrix equation. A computer program, capable of vibration isolation and dynamic analysis of tandem-axle truck, is presented. The sensitivity analysis for the parameter variation of the simulation model is investigated and the overall effects of anti-roll bar is also examined.

The planar mathematical model for various design configurations of articulated log-hauling truck in the form of a tandem axle tractor and two separate semi-trailer units, commonly known as super B train truck, is developed. A thorough kinematics and dynamic analyses of the log-hauling combination trucks, incorporating up to three axles to be steerable for the tractor, are carried out and the governing differential equations for the lateral and yaw planar motions are derived. Using a computer simulation model, the directional performance and the lateral and yaw and stability of this articulated truck is fully investigated through transient and harmonic response analyses. Finally, a parameter sensitivity analysis was carried out for different variables involved in the simulation model, to study the sensitivity of the steady-state response to various parameters.