Model for assessing the road train stability movement

Abstract

Road trains (RT) are the main transport in agriculture. However, their accident rate is quite high. In the vehicles movement research their design characteristics and operating modes are mainly improved. The main way to reduce the accident rate remains the speed limit. The authors proposed methods (confirmed by the issued patents) for ensuring the stability of the RT movement by changing the design of trailer devices. The purpose of this work is to form a mathematical model for assessing the stability of the RT movement in the presence of side effects (modeling of sharp turns, impacts). Methods of analysis and synthesis, mathematical analysis, and vector geometry were applied. The process of RT yawing on the highway is split into a number of stages, for which the laws of changing its geometry and kinematics are formulated. Side effect leads to increase in the RT impulse (lateral oscillations increase the speed), or to a violation of stability (the movement amplitude goes beyond the highway or tipping). This model can be used to analyze the stability of the RT movement and evaluate methods to influence it in order to reduce the probability of accidents. © 2020 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.