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NONLINEAR STABILITY AND RESPONSE OF CAR-TRAILER COMBINATIONS

The technique of quasilinearization (describing function analysis) is used to study the effects of saturation of lateral tire force based on the traditional slip law concept in car-trailer combinations. The dynamic slip angle is shown to be greater than the trailer angle, due to trailer swing velocity. Thus nonlinear results are important even for small displacements. Significant changes in frequency and damping ratio from linear values are shown for the transient response of a one degree of freedom model. It is shown that the forced response is of the classical left-leaning softening type, with jump/drop phenomenon; a two degree of freedom model has a very small amplitude limit cycle for operation above the critical velocity; and conversely, a three degree of freedom model has no stable limit cycle above the critical velocity. Thus, response above critical velocity appears to be unbounded. An unstable limit cycle encloses the stable part of the equilibrium solution, providing a possibility for unbounded response below critical velocity.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Also published in HS-028 866 (SAE-SP-463), "Recreational Vehicle Dynamics," Warrendale, Pennsylvania, 1980, p 9-22. Presented at the SAE Congress and Exposition, Detroit, 25-29 February 1980.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

    400 Commonwealth Drive
    Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
  • Authors:
    • Taylor, D L
  • Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

  • Features: References;
  • Pagination: 14 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00391856
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  • Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 800152, HS-028 868
  • Files: HSL, USDOT
  • Created Date: Jan 30 1985 12:00AM