LATERAL DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR OF .. THREE-WHEELED MOTOR-VEHICLES

Abstract

The lateral dynamic behaviour and handling characteristics of Three-Wheeled Vehicles are important to road safety and accident avoidance capabilities of vehicle rider system. Using ten degrees of freedom mathematical model, lateral dynamic behaviour of Three-Wheeled Vehicles is analysed. The various aspects of vehicle dynamics, vehicle lateral motion, modeling considerations, equations of motion, eigenvalue analysis, stability criterion etc. that are relevant for the present work are presented. - . The vehicle model is represented by five rigid masses, model includes the effect of suspension that has not been considered so far. The tyre model is based on tyre elastic properties measured in the laboratory. The equations of lateral motion are developed using the Lagrangian principle. The tyre forces and moments equations have been obtained by assuming first order lag characteristics. The eigenvalues of various modes of vehicle motion are evaluated by means of a program and MATLAB software. The modes of motion are studied and the results are presented. Upon making various parametric studies, recommendations are made and conclusions drawn for improving the vehicle's lateral dynamic behaviour. 1