Directional Response and Yaw Stability of Articulated Log Hauling Trucks

The planar mathematical model for various design configurations of articulated log-hauling truck in the form of a tandem axle tractor and two separate semi-trailer units, commonly known as super B train truck, is developed. A thorough kinematics and dynamic analyses of the log-hauling combination trucks, incorporating up to three axles to be steerable for the tractor, are carried out and the governing differential equations for the lateral and yaw planar motions are derived. Using a computer simulation model, the directional performance and the lateral and yaw and stability of this articulated truck is fully investigated through transient and harmonic response analyses. Finally, a parameter sensitivity analysis was carried out for different variables involved in the simulation model, to study the sensitivity of the steady-state response to various parameters.