Vehicle dynamic simulation with a comprehensive model for pneumatic tires.

Abstract

This study presents an analytical approach for the mechanics of the pneumatic tires and the vehicle dynamic simulation. Most of tire dynamic parameters in this study are derived by using the tire geometry rather than experimental data. For the tire dynamic properties, explicit formulations are derived analytically as functions of slip ratio, slip angle, camber angle, and other tire dynamic parameters. These formulations can be efficiently used for the general vehicle simulations of braking/traction and steering maneuvers with a varying camber angle at irregular terrains. For on-highway vehicle simulations, a conceptual sports car is modeled as a twenty-six degrees of freedom multi-body system, while the military 1/4 ton truck M151-A2 is modeled as a fourteen degrees of freedom multi-body system for off-highway vehicle simulations. To study vehicle ride comfort, stability, and maneuverability, numerous vehicle simulations are performed using the comprehensive tire model, steering, braking, traction, nonlinear suspension, and realistic irregular terrains. For these simulations, a general-purpose multi-body dynamic analysis code (named MBOSS) has been developed.