A path planning and path-following control framework for a general 2-trailer with a car-like tractor

Maneuvering a general 2-trailer with a car-like tractor in backward motion is a task that requires significant skill to master and is unarguably one of the most complicated tasks a truck driver has to perform. This paper presents a path planning and path-following control solution that can be used to automatically plan and execute difficult parking and obstacle avoidance maneuvers by combining backward and forward motion. A lattice-based path planning framework is developed in order to generate kinematically feasible and collision-free paths and a path-following controller is designed to stabilize the lateral and angular path-following error states during path execution. To estimate the vehicle state needed for control, a nonlinear observer is developed which only utilizes information from sensors that are mounted on the car-like tractor, making the system independent of additional trailer sensors. The proposed path planning and path-following control framework is implemented on a full-scale test vehicle and results from simulations and real-world experiments are presented.Comment: Preprin

Evaluation of Highway Geometrics Related to Large Trucks

One objective of this study was to determine the extent of highway safety and geometric problems associated with larger trucks using Kentucky\u27s highways. The accident analysis involved both a general analysis of all truck accidents statewide as well as the identification of specific high-accident locations. A second objective was to identify criteria which can be used in identifying roadway sections that cannot safely accommodate large trucks. The accident analysis given can be used to investigate locations which have a high number of truck accidents. The general accident statistics related to trucks can be used in the investigation of the high-accident locations to identify factors which may be contributing to the accident problem. The summary of information obtained from the review of literature can be used as a guide when determining the appropriate criteria to use in formalizing truck access criteria. For example, several references gave recommendations concerning lane width and horizontal curvature appropriate for highways that allowed large truck traffic

Vehicle swept path analysis based on GPS data

Vehicle swept path analysis presents an essential step while working on at-grade intersection and roundabout designs. Following the intensive development of computer-aided design (CAD) software in the past two decades, numerous CAD-based computer programs for vehicle movement simulation have been developed and commercially distributed. The accuracy of these simulation programs is usually verified by conducting experimental field tests in which real movement trajectories of design vehicles, equipped with global positioning system (GPS) receivers, are recorded. This paper proposes an improved methodology for retrieving vehicle movement trajectories from collected GPS data. The proposed methodology reduces the trajectory inaccuracy resulting from pavement grading characteristics and the inability to accurately install GPS receivers in relation to streamlined vehicle body. Results of field experiments show that the reduction of positioning errors in the horizontal projection is not smaller than 50.0 mm compared with previous studies.This is the peer-reviewed version of the article: V. Ilić, D. Gavran, S. Fric, F. Trpčevski, and S. Vranjevac, ‘Vehicle swept path analysis based on GPS data’, Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 45, no. 10, pp. 827–839, 2018, [https://doi.org/10.1139/cjce-2017-0245

Potential field functions for motion planning and posture of the standard 3 - trailer system

This paper presents a set of artificial potential field functions that improves upon, in general, the motion planning and posture control, with theoretically guaranteed point and posture stabilities, convergence and collision avoidance properties of 3-trailer systems in a priori known environment. We basically design and inject two new concepts; ghost walls and the distance optimization technique (DOT) to strengthen point and posture stabilities, in the sense of Lyapunov, of our dynamical model. This new combination of techniques emerges as a convenient mechanism for obtaining feasible orientations at the target positions with an overall reduction in the complexity of the navigation laws. The effectiveness of the proposed control laws were demonstrated via simulations of two traffic scenarios

Motion planning and posture control of the general 3 - trailer system

This paper presents a set of artificial potential field functions that improves upon, in general, the motion planning and posture control, with theoretically guaranteed point and posture stabilities, convergence and collision avoidance properties of the general3-trailer system in a priori known environment. We basically design and inject two new concepts; ghost walls and the distance optimization technique (DOT) to strengthen point and posture stabilities, in the sense of Lyapunov, of our dynamical model. This new combination of techniques emerges as a convenient mechanism for obtaining feasible orientations at the target positions with an overall reduction in the complexity of the navigation laws. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the controls laws

DEVELOPMENT OF TEST ENVIRONMENTS FOR REVERSE ASSIST FUNCTIONS AS APPLIED TO AN A-DOUBLE VEHICLE COMBINATION

High-capacity transport vehicles reduce costs and improve efficiency. Long vehicle combinations such as an A-double combination vehicle (Tractor + semitrailer + dolly + semitrailer) improve transportation efficiency but they are extremely difficult to manoeuvre in tight spaces and in the reverse direction. This document summarizes developing environments to test reverse assist functions as applied to the A-double combination vehicle. These environments create a rapid prototyping platform consisting of a virtual and a scaled environment to test and validate controller concepts. The behaviour of the plant model in the virtual environment, the scaled vehicle model and the plant model in VTM (Volvo Truck Model) are studied and compared. A proportional controller is developed to test the environments and evaluate the process of concept development using the rapid prototype platform. The controller performance is evaluated and a possibility of incorporating integral controller is discussed

Stability Control of Triple Trailer Vehicles

While vehicle stability control is a well-established technology in the passenger car realm, it is still an area of active research for commercial vehicles as indicated by the recent notice of proposed rulemaking on commercial vehicle stability by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, 2012). The reasons that commercial vehicle electronic stability control (ESC) development has lagged passenger vehicle ESC include the fact that the industry is generally slow to adopt new technologies and that commercial vehicles are far more complex requiring adaptation of existing technology. From the controller theory perspective, current commercial vehicle stability systems are generally passenger car based ESC systems that have been modified to manage additional brakes (axles). They do not monitor the entire vehicle nor do they manage the entire vehicle as a system