A novel method for controlling an ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) for heavy vehicle

This paper presents a novel controller for ABS of heavy vehicles. This controller uses Fuzzy Logic to keep the maximum braking force between the wheels and the road. The braking systems of heavy vehicles are driven by pneumatic actuators. The controller uses the wheels speeds and accelerations to actuate the air flow valves that control the pneumatic cylinders of the brake canvas. To evaluate the novel ABS controller a simulator for heavy vehicles is developed. This simulator considers the vehicle longitudinal dynamics, the pneumatic system dynamics, the wheels dynamics and the slipping between the wheels and the road. Results obtained by the simulations indicate that the controller is capable of stopping the vehicle within short distances and without presenting oscillation in the wheels rotations.