Method for Evaluating Stability and Handling of a Truck Considering Body Torsional Rigidity

Models used in the computer simulation of stability and handling have been treated as rigid bodies. But the influence of the torsional rigidity of a truck body upon the stability and handling can not be ignored with higher vehicle speed.

The authors investigated the factors of the stability and handling affected by the torsional rigidity in an experiment. Then a simulation program was developed to compute the transient response of these factors.

The results of the computer simulation and the experiment correspond well, so the influence of the torsional rigidity upon the stability and handling is evaluated by this simulation.