Study on Effects of Steering Geometry on Steady-State Cornering Behaviors of Multi-Axle Vehicles

The purpose of this work is to study the effects of steering geometry on steady-state cornering behaviors of multi-axle vehicles. First, based on kinematics and Newtonian mechanics, 3-DOF steady-state cornering vehicle models are presented. The models include the 3-DOF simplified suspension model and Magic Formula tire model. Then, Newton-Raphson Method, a numerical method, is applied to find the numerical solutions of the simultaneous equations of motion. As one of the modeling results, distribution characteristics of instantaneous centers and slip angles of 2-, 3-, and 4-axle vehicles with various steering geometries, such as Ackermann, parallel, and so on, are discussed. Serving as the benchmark, steady-state cornering behaviors of double-axle Ackermann steering are compared with those of multi-axle auxiliary steering. By analyzing the effects of various steering geometries on vehicles’ cornering behaviors, such as the amount and uniformity of tire wear, and maneuverability, different steering modes are recommended according to driving conditions. Finally, with the developed models and analysis results of this work, the effects of steering geometry on steady-state cornering behaviors of multi-axle vehicles can be further understood.