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Abstract The vehicle attributes developed for emerging markets like India are unique because of different topographical conditions, diversity and culture within the different states. Major attributes in vehicle development process is development of safe and sustainable vehicle systems (steering, brakes etc.) for the driver. India is presently an emerging market for automotive sector. With booming economy, purchasing power of the consumer has gone up in the past few years. Most of young population of India have started buying the cars. At the same time, India’s road infrastructure, vehicle regulations have exalted over the years. The consumer cognizance towards the vehicles have started changing now. They want safer, robust system in their vehicles with new convenience features at affordable cost. In recent years, almost all OEM’s in India have migrated steering systems from HPAS to EPAS for payback on fuel economy and weight.

Abstract The brake discs are subjected to thermal load due to sliding by the brake pad and fluctuating loads because of the braking load. This combined loading problem requires simulation using coupled thermo-mechanical analysis for design evaluation. This work presents a combined thermal and mechanical finite element analysis (FEA) and evolutionary optimization-based novel approach for estimating the optimal design parameters of the ventilated brake disc. Five parameters controlling the design: inboard plate thickness, outboard plate thickness, vane height, effective offset, and center hole radius were considered, and simulation runs were planned. A total of 27 brake disc designs with design parameters as recommended by the Taguchi method (L27) were modeled using SolidWorks, and the FEA simulation runs were carried out using the ANSYS thermal and structural analysis tool.

Abstract During vehicle braking, friction forces generated on the vehicle tires and the vehicle resisting aerodynamic forces play a critical role that impact the vehicle’s longitudinal braking dynamics such as stopping distance and time. These forces are mainly the tires’ braking and rolling resisting forces, vehicle lift, and drag forces. The vehicle aerodynamic forces cannot be neglected due to their impact on the vehicle’s longitudinal dynamics, especially at high vehicle speeds. This article investigates the impact of the vehicle’s rear spoiler on both vehicle aerodynamic forces and longitudinal dynamic, such as stopping distance and time. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model using ANSYS-Fluent® is employed to precisely estimate the vehicle’s aerodynamic forces in the case of a vehicle without and with a rear spoiler.

Abstract The transient surface pressure over a full-scale, operational compact automotive vehicle—a Volkswagen Golf 7—exposed to transient crosswinds with relative yaw angles of β = 22-45° has been characterized. Experiments were performed at the BMW side-wind facility in Aschheim, Germany. Measurements of the incoming flow in front of the car were taken with eleven five-hole dynamic pressure probes, and separately, time-resolved surface pressure measurements at 188 locations were performed. Unsteady characteristics (not able to be identified in quasi-steady modelling) have been identified: the flow in separated regions on the vehicle’s leeward side takes longer to develop than at the windward side, and spatially, the vehicle experiences local crosswind as it gradually enters the crosswind.

Abstract Estimating the power demand of a steering system is one of the main tasks during steering system development in the concept phase of a vehicle development process. Most critical for typical axle kinematics are parking maneuvers with simultaneously high rack forces and velocities. Therefore, the focus of the article is a tire model for standstill, which can be parametrized without measurements, only having tire dimensions and conditions (inflation pressure and wheel load) as input. Combined with a double-track model, a vehicle model is developed, which is able to predict the rack force and is fully applicable during the concept phase. The article demonstrates quantitatively that the tie rod forces, and thereby especially the tire bore torque, cause the largest fraction of the power demand at the rack. For this reason, the prediction of the bore torque is investigated in detail, whereby basic approaches from the literature are analyzed and enhanced.

Abstract Rolling-resistance is leading the direction of numerous tire developments due to its significant effect on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions considering the vehicles in use globally. Many attempts were made to reduce rolling-resistance in vehicles, but with no or limited success due to tire complexity and trade-offs. This article investigates the concept of multiple chambers inside the tire as a potential alternative solution for reducing rolling-resistance. To accomplish that, novel multi-chamber designs were introduced and numerically simulated through finite-element (FE) modeling. The FE models were compared against a standard design as the baseline. The influences on rolling-resistance, grip, cornering, and mechanical comfort were studied. The multi-chambers tire model reduced rolling-resistance considerably with acceptable trade-offs. Independent air volumes isolating tread from sidewalls would maintain tire’s profile effectively.

Abstract The braking phenomenon is an aspect of vehicle stopping performance where with kinetic energy due to the speed of the vehicle is transformed into thermal energy produced by the brake disc and its pads. The heat must then be dissipated into the surrounding structure and into the airflow around the brake system. The thermal friction field during the braking phase between the disc and the brake pads can lead to excessive temperatures. In our work, we presented numerical modeling using ANSYS software adapted in the finite element method (FEM), to follow the evolution of the global temperatures for the two types of brake discs, full and ventilated disc during braking scenario. Also, numerical simulation of the transient thermal analysis and the static structural analysis were performed here sequentially, with coupled thermo-structural method.

Abstract Aiming to improve the handling performance of heavy tractor semi-trailer during turning or changing lanes at high speed, a hierarchical structure controller is proposed and a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test bench of the electronic pneumatic braking system is developed to validate the proposed controller. In the upper controller, a Kalman filter observer based on the heavy tractor semi-trailer dynamic model is used to estimate the yaw rates and sideslip angles of the tractor and trailer. Simultaneously, a sliding mode direct yaw moment controller is developed, which takes the estimated yaw rates and sideslip angles and the reference values calculated by the three-degrees-of-freedom dynamic model of the heavy tractor semi-trailer as the control inputs. In the lower controller, the additional yaw moments of tractor and trailer are transformed into corresponding wheel braking forces according to the current steering characteristics.

Abstract This article presents a comprehensive investigation for the interaction between vehicle ride vibration control and braking control using two degrees of freedom (2DOF) quarter vehicle model. A typical limited bandwidth active suspension system with nonlinear spring and damping characteristics of practical hydraulic and pneumatic components is controlled to regulate both suspension and tire forces and therefore provide the optimum ride comfort and braking performance of an anti-lock brake system (ABS). In order to design a suitable controller for this nonlinear integrated system, various control techniques are followed including state feedback tuned using Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), state feedback tuned using Genetic Algorithm (GA), Proportional Integrated (PI) tuned genetically, and Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC). The ABS control system is designed to limit skid ratio below threshold of 15%.

Abstract Potassium titanate (KT) fibers/whiskers are used as a functional filler for partial replacement of asbestos in NAO friction materials (FMs). Based on little information reported in open literature; its exact role is not well defined since some papers claim it as the booster for resistance to fade (FR), or wear (WR) and sometimes as damper for friction fluctuations. Interestingly, KT fibers and whiskers (but not powder) are proved as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, hardly any efforts are reported on exploration of influence of KT powder and its optimum amount in NAO FMs (realistic composites) in the literature. Hence a series of five realistic multi-ingredient compositions in the form of brake-pads with similar parent composition but varying in the content of KT powder from 0 to 15 wt% (in the steps of 3) were developed. These composites were characterized for physical, mechanical, chemical and tribological performance.

Abstract Disc pad physical properties are believed to be important in controlling brake friction, wear and squeal. Thus these properties are carefully measured during and after manufacturing for quality assurance. For a given formulation, disc pad porosity is reported to affect friction, wear and squeal. This investigation was undertaken to find out how porosity changes affect pad natural frequencies, dynamic modulus, hardness and compressibility for a low-copper formulation and a copper-free formulation, both without underlayer, without scorching and without noise shims. Pad natural frequencies, modulus and hardness all continuously decrease with increasing porosity. When pad compressibility is measured by compressing several times as recommended and practiced, the pad surface hardness is found to increase while pad natural frequencies and modulus remain essentially unchanged.

Abstract A methodology for the development of catalyst models is presented. Also, a methodology of the implementation of such models into a modular simulation tool, which simulates the units in succession, is presented. A case study is presented illustrating how suitable models can be found and used for simulations. Such simulations illustrate the behavior of the individual units and the overall system. It is shown how, by simulating the units in succession, the entire after treatment system can be tested and optimized, because the integration makes it possible to observe the effect of the modules on one another.

Abstract Recently, electric heavy-duty tractor-trailers (EHDTTs) have assumed significance as they present an immediate solution to decarbonize the transportation sector. Hence, to illustrate the economic viability of electrifying the freight industry, a detailed numerical model to estimate the battery capacity for an EHDTT is proposed for a route between Washington, DC, to Knoxville, TN. This model incorporates the effects of the terrain, climate, vehicular forces, auxiliary loads, and payload in order to select the appropriate motor and optimize the battery capacity. Additionally, current and near-future battery chemistries are simulated in the model. Along with equations describing vehicular forces based on Newton’s second law of motion, the model utilizes the Hausmann and Depcik correlation to estimate the losses caused by the capacity offset of the batteries. Here, a Newton-Raphson iterative scheme determines the minimum battery capacity for the required state of charge.

Abstract A new concept of instantaneous wheel turn center (IWTC) is proposed to evaluate and improve multi-axle vehicle steering coordination performance. The concept of IWTC and its calculation method are studied. The index named dispersion of IWTC is developed to evaluate the vehicle steering coordination performance quantitatively. The simulation tests based on a three-axle off-road vehicle model are conducted under different vehicle velocities and lateral accelerations. The simulation results show that the turn centers of different wheels are disperse, and the dispersion becomes larger with the increase of vehicle velocities and lateral acceleration. Since suspension has important influences on vehicle steering performance, the genetic algorithm is used to optimize the suspension hard points and bushing stiffness, aiming at minimizing the dispersion of wheel turn centers (DWTC) to improve the vehicle steering coordination performance.

Abstract This research developed methods for a virtual operator model (VOM) to learn the optimal control inputs for operation of a virtual excavator. Virtual design, used to model, simulate, and test new features, has often been limited by the fidelity of the virtual model of human operators. Human operator learns, over time, the capability, limits, and control characteristics of new vehicles to develop the best strategy to maximize the efficiency of operation. However, VOMs are developed with fixed strategies and for specific vehicle models (VMs) and require time-consuming re-tuning of the VOM for each new vehicle design. Thus, there typically is no capability to optimize strategies, taking account of variation in vehicle capabilities and limitations. A VOM learning capability was developed to optimize control inputs for the swing-to-pile task of a trenching operation. Different control strategies consisted of varied combinations of speed control, position control, and coast.

Abstract The following article illustrates the detailed study of the development of a unique flywheel-based regenerative braking system (f-RBS) for achieving regenerative braking in a commercial electric bus. The f-RBS is designed for installation in the front wheels of the bus. The particular data values for modeling the bus are taken from multiple legitimate sources to illustrate the development strategy of the regenerative braking system. Mechanical components used in this system have either been carefully designed and analyzed for avoiding fatigue failure or their market selection strategies explained. The positioning of the entire system is decided using MSC Adams View®, hence determining a suitable component placement strategy such that the f-RBS components do not interfere with the bus components. The entire system is modeled on MATLAB Simulink® with sufficient accuracy to get various results that would infer the performance of the system as a whole.

Abstract An accurate and rapid thermal model of an axle-brake system is crucial to the design process of reliable braking systems. Proper thermal management is necessary to avoid damaging effects, such as brake fade, thermal cracking, and lubricating oil degradation. In order to understand the thermal effects inside of a lubricated braking system, it is common to use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to calculate the heat generation and rejection. However, this is a difficult and time-consuming process, especially when trying to optimize a braking system. This article uses the results from several CFD runs to train a Stacked Ensemble Model (SEM), which allows the use of machine learning (ML) to predict the systems’ temperature based on several input design parameters. The robustness of the SEM was evaluated using uncertainty quantification.

Abstract With increased consumer demand for fuel efficient vehicles as well as more stringent greenhouse gas regulations and/or Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards from governments around the globe, the automotive industry, including the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and suppliers, is working diligently to innovate in all areas of vehicle design. In addition to improving aerodynamics, enhancing internal combustion engines and transmission technologies, and developing alternative fuel vehicles, mass reduction has been identified as an important strategy in future vehicle development. In this article, the development, analysis, and experiment of multi-cornered structures are presented. To achieve mass reduction, two non-traditional multi-cornered structures, with twelve- and sixteen-cornered cross-sections, were developed separately by using computer simulations.

Abstract An analysis method for the stability of combined braking system of tractor-semitrailer based on phase-plane is investigated. Based on a 9 degree of freedom model, considering longitudinal load transfer, nonlinear model of tire and other factors, the braking stability of tractor-semitrailer is analyzed graphically on the phase plane. The stability of both tractor and semitrailer with different retarder gear is validated with the energy plane, β plane, yaw angle plane and hinged angle plane. The result indicates that in the long downhill with curve condition, both tractor and semitrailer show good stability when retarder is working at 1st and 2nd gear, and when it is at 3rd gear, the tractor is close to be unstable while semitrailer is unstable already. Besides, tractor and semitrailer both lose stability when retarder is working at the 4th gear.

Abstract When commercial vehicles drive in a mountainous area, the complex road condition and long slopes cause frequent acceleration and braking, which will use 25% more fuel. And the brake temperature rises rapidly due to continuous braking on the long-distance downslopes, which will make the brake drum fail with the brake temperature exceeding 308°C [1]. Meanwhile, the kinetic energy is wasted during the driving progress on the slopes when the vehicle rolls up and down. Our laboratory built a model that could calculate the distance from the top of the slope, where the driver could release the accelerator pedal. Thus, on the slope, the vehicle uses less fuel when it rolls up and less brakes when down. What we do in this article is use this model in a real vehicle and measure how well it works.