High-Resolution, Computer-Based Modeling, Simulation, and Validation of a Truck/Trailer Combination Model

This paper describes an effort by the US Army Tank-automotive & Armaments Command, Research, Development & Engineering Center (TACOM-TARDEC) to model, simulate, and validate a dynamic model of a Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV) truck towing a M105A2 trailer, both fully payloaded at 5-ton and 1-1/2 tons, respectively (see figure 1).

Prior to the simulation analysis, a set of carefully controlled and instrumented field tests were conducted with the truck / trailer combination to understand inherent stability problems, determine performance limits, and to collect instrumented data to validate the dynamic models. This paper documents these efforts.