Handling Performance and Lateral Stability of Articulated Logging Trucks

The present state of knowledge on the handling behavior of articulated combination trucks is based on parametric studies made through truck model simulations. A detailed yaw-lurch planar mathematical model for articulated log-hauling combination doglogger trucks is developed in this study. Further, a thorough kinematic and dynamic analyses of log-hauling combination trucks, incorporating a sliding drawbar is carried out and the governing equations for the lateral and yaw planar motions are derived. Using a computer simulation model, the directional performance and the yaw and lateral stability of these articulated vehicles are fully investigated through a 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.