This paper provides valuable guidelines on the selection of dynamic vehicle models for control algorithm development, design optimization and linear stability analysis for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles with active safety systems. The validation of yaw-plane and yaw-roll models of a tractor-two-semitrailer combination using the TruckSim software package is presented in this paper. A linear four-degree-of-freedom yaw-plane model and a linear seven-degree-of-freedom yaw-roll model of the vehicle were generated, compared and evaluated. The linear models of the multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicle yield numerical simulation results which are validated by comparing with those obtained from the corresponding non-linear TruckSim model. This paper also includes eigenvalue and frequency-response analysis of the linear models to estimate the unstable motion modes and to predict the unique dynamic features of the multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicle in the frequency domain. A benchmark investigation of the models was performed to examine the fidelity, the complexity and the applicability of the linear models.

This paper presents a design synthesis framework for directional performance optimization of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles with trailer lateral dynamic control systems, e.g. active trailer steering, trailer differential braking, active roll control or the coordination of the three systems. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, it was applied to the design optimization of a multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicle with an active trailer steering controller. In the design, a set of lateral stability measures is originally defined, and the design problem under simulated test manoeuvres is implemented using a parallel computing technique. It is illustrated that the proposed framework and the performance measures can be used to identify effectively the desired variables and to predict reliably the performance envelopes of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles with active safety systems by considering the concept of driver-adaptive-vehicle design.

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