VEHICLE PERFORMANCE IN CROSSWINDS

THE EFFECTS OF CROSSWINDS ON A VEHICLE CAN BE ANALYZED IN TERMS OF STEADY-STATE RESPONSES RATHER THAN IN TERMS OF TRANSIENTS. THE DRIVER'S INPUTS ARE HIS OBSERVATIONS OF THE EFFECT OF THE CROSSWIND ON THE CAR; HIS OUTPUTS ARE WHAT HE DOES TO CORRECT FOR THOSE DEVIATIONS. THE MODEL HAS TWO DEGREES OF FREEDOM AND IS ADEQUATE TO ILLUSTRATE THE EFFECTS. THE CROSSWIND IS PRESUMED TO ACT AT THE CENTER OF LATERAL PRESSURE. THE RESULTING EQUATION CAN BE PUT IN TERMS OF VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS (GEOMETRICAL), ITS UNDER- STEER, SPEED, AND REAR SUSPENSION CORNERING STIFFNESS. OTHER FORMULATIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE IN VIEW OF THE MANY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE SEVERAL PARAMETERS. IT IS SHOWN THAT HIGH VALUES OF UNDER-STEER ARE HELPFUL IN PRACTICAL PROBLEMS WITH CROSSWINDS. THE YAW-RATE RESPONSE IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PARAMETER FOR THE DRIVER. /BPR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 58, pp 352-355
• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Transport Press, Limited

  Dorset House, Stamford Street
  London SE1 9LU,   England 
• Authors:
  • MILNER, P J
• Publication Date: 1968-8

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Automobile Engineer
  • Publisher: IPC Transport Press, Limited

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Crosswinds; Drivers; Impacts; Reaction time; Speed; Steering; Suspensions; Vehicle characteristics; Wind; Yaw
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction; Lateral pressure
• Old TRIS Terms: Cornering (Vehicle)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223151
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Traffic Systems Reviews & Abstracts
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 13 1970 12:00AM