Control and Estimation of Vehicle Dynamics
Scientific project supported by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia (2007-2012)
Project number: 120-1201773-1771
Period: January 2007 - 2012
Summary: Introduction of vehicle dynamics control systems (ABS, TCS, ESP, ARC, CDC. etc.) leads to substantial improvements in vehicle safety for critical manoeuvres, ride comfort, and handling performance. Commercial solutions of these systems are based on traditional ABS hydraulic-brake actuators. Development and application of new actuators, such as active steering, active differential, and active suspension have led to intensifying the research activities with the aim of further improvements of vehicle dynamics control performance. Control system requires knowledge of various vehicle dynamics quantities, whose measurements are often difficult or expensive. It is, therefore, necessary to develop precise vehicle dynamics estimators. The development of the controllers and estimators relies on mathematical models of vehicle dynamics. These models need to have simple structure which faithfully describes basic vehicle dynamics modes.
The aims of the proposed research are: (a) development of precise control-oriented vehicle dynamics models with emphasis on tyre models; (b) development of vehicle dynamics estimators based on the so-called sensor fusion concept (fusion of ABS sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and GPS); (c) design and comparative analysis of vehicle dynamics control systems for various configurations of actuators and sensors. The project should, thus, give clear answers about the level of driving safety, comfort and performance improvements based on the application of advanced actuators and sensors, as well as about optimal structures of estimators and controllers needed to achieve this goal. The final research results would be faithful nonlinear and linearised models of tyre and vehicle dynamics, and optimal systems of vehicle dynamics estimation and control for various control tasks.
The proposed models, estimators and controllers are planned to be verified by computer simulation and experiment. The experimental verifications will be carried out by using the present Faculty's test vehicle with an in-wheel electrical servo-motor. Depending on available financial resources, the vehicle would be extended with a direct drive for steering, as well as with many advanced tyre and vehicle dynamics sensors.
The research results can found direct applications in automotive industry, and also in railway-vehicle and overall transportation industries. The research should give a contribution to global efforts for increasing the transportation safety.