Electro-hydraulic brake systems: design and test through hardware-in-the-loop simulation

Abstract

Are the new electro-hydraulic systems really advantageous in comparison with the conventional brake systems? The first part of the paper is devoted to the description of some possible configurations of an Electro-Hydraulic Brake (EHB) system, then the design and test methodology followed in the activity is presented. Through simulation it was possible to determine the main design specifications of EHB and the advantages over conventional brake systems, both from the point of view of the base brake function, anti-lock brake system function and electronic stability control function. The failsafe algorithm for the EHB system was implemented through simulation too. On the basis of the simulation results, by using, where possible, the components of conventional brake systems, a hardware-in-the-loop test bench for a prototype EHB was implemented. The main simulation and experimental results are presented and discussed.