Increase in linear motion steadiness of tractor-trailers using stabilizing towing couplers

Abstract

Travelling at higher speeds over any type of roads could disturb the stability of motion, which is manifested through lateral oscillations of the trailer in a horizontal plane - trailer wobbling. This research is aimed at building a mathematical model of tractor-trailer motion affected by the external action of lateral forces and estimating how efficient stabilizing couplers could be. A double pendulum design diagram is used to build the model. It is shown that the stability of motion is impacted at most by the ratio of the inertia radius (relative to the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity) to the base of the trailer, which depends on the type of cargo, its distribution within the trailer body, the heterogeneity of the cargo material and so on. It is demonstrated that the critical velocity of a trailer would increase when stabilizers are used. Changing the design of the trailer should also positively affect the stability of a tractor-trailer due to faster and more efficient damping of lateral oscillations impacting its movement. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.