Sliding Mode Control in Heavy Vehicle Safety

Abstract

In this chapter, an original approach to heavy vehicles rollover risk prediction is presented and validated experimentally. It is based on the calculation of the LTR (Load Transfer Ratio) which depends on the estimated vertical forces using high order sliding mode observers. Previously, a tractor model is developed. The validation tests were carried out on an instrumented truck rolling on the road at various speeds and lane-change manoeuvres. Many scenarios have been experienced: driving straight, curved trajectories, zigzag manoeuvre and brake tests to emphasize the rollover phenomenon and its prediction to set off an alarm for the driver. In this study, the vehicle dynamic parameters (masses, inertias, stiffness..) and the static forces infrastructure characteristics (road profile, radius of curvature, longitudinal and lateral slope, skid resistance) are measured or calculated before the tests.