DYNAMICS OF DOUBLE BOTTOM COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

The subject of this paper is the double bottom commercial vehicle which, in some configurations, has had severe stability problems. Through a literature review and linear analysis, it is shown that in the so-called Michigan double configuration the pup trailer behaves in a volatile way in a lane change manoeuvre. Various design alternatives are shown to offer some improvement. The best design, from a directional response point of view, is clearly the so-called Canadian double, which is a tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer configuration. The subject is then briefly analyzed from a point of view of rollover using quasi-static assumptions. The analysis indicates that striking gains in roll stability may be attained by roll coupling the pup trailer to the semitrailer, a characteristic inherent in the design of the Canadian double. (Author/TRRL)

  • Availability:
  • Corporate Authors:

    Inderscience Enterprises Limited

    World Trade Center Building, 110 Avenue Louis Casai
    Geneva,   Switzerland 
  • Authors:
    • Vanderploeg, M J
    • BERNARD, J E
  • Publication Date: 1985-3

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00396801
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • Report/Paper Numbers: HS-038 881
  • Files: HSL, ITRD, TRIS
  • Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM