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Zero-Speed Off-tracking Analysis of Tractor-Semitrailer with Split Fifth Wheel Coupling for 90° and 180° Turning Manoeuvres

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Advances in Mechanical Engineering

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering ((LNME))

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Abstract

With the increasing demand for the accessibility of tractor-semitrailers in remote locations, they face the problem of off-tracking, which is the ensuing difference in path radii between the front and rearmost axles of a vehicle as it manoeuvres a turn. One of the passive methods to reduce off-tracking is by implementing Split fifth wheel coupling (SFWC) which has been proposed earlier. In the present work, the tractor-semitrailer with SFWC is subjected to zero-speed off-tracking analysis, wherein the effect of speed is neglected and the results are compared with those of Conventional fifth wheel coupling (CFWC) model. In the current paper, two turning manoeuvres are studied, viz., 90° turn and 180° turn. It is observed that for all the combinations of chosen type of turning manoeuvre and turning radius, the SFWC model noticeably reduces off-tracking when compared to the tractor-semitrailer of similar dimensions with CFWC.

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Abbreviations

KO:

Kingpin offset (m)

Ls:

Wheelbase of semitrailer (m)

Lt:

Wheelbase of tractor (m)

OT:

Off-tracking (m)

R:

Turning radius measured at tractor’s front axle centre (m)

(Xc, Yc):

Coordinates of the centre of curvature (m)

(Xf,n, Yf,n):

Coordinates of the tractor’s front axle centre (m)

(Xr,n, Yr,n):

Coordinates of the tractor’s rear axle centre (m)

(Xs,n, Ys,n):

Coordinates of the semitrailer’s axle centre (m)

θ:

Heading angle of tractor’s wheelbase (radians)

\( \psi \) :

Angle swept by the tractor’s front axle centre (radians)

c:

Centre of curvature

f:

Front

max:

Maximum value

n :

Nth iteration

r:

Rear

s:

Semitrailer

t:

Tractor

References

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  4. Choi, J., Baek, J., Lee, S., Kang, W.: Offtracking model on horizontal curve sections. In: Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, vol. 3, No. 1 (2001)

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  5. Woodrooffe, J.H.F., Smith, C.A.M., Morisset, L.E.: A generalized solution of non-steady state vehicle off tracking in constant radius curves. In: International Pacific Conference on Automotive Engineering SAE Paper No. 852333, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale (1985)

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  6. Dahlberg, E., Wideberg, J.P.: Influence of the fifth-wheel location on heavy articulated vehicle handling. In: Proceedings 8th International Symposium on Heavy Vehicle Weights and Dimensions, Johannesburg, SA (2004)

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  7. Jogi, A., Chandramohan, S.: Kinematic analysis of tractor-semitrailer with split fifth wheel coupling during low speed turning maneuvers. J. SAE Int. J. Commer. Veh. 10(2), 2017 (2017). https://doi.org/10.4271/2017-01-1554

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Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India

    Ajith Jogi & Sujatha Chandramohan

Authors
  1. Ajith Jogi
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  2. Sujatha Chandramohan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ajith Jogi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Technology Meghalaya, Shillong, Meghalaya, India

    B. B. Biswal

  2. National Institute of Technology Meghalaya, Shillong, Meghalaya, India

    Bikash Kumar Sarkar

  3. National Institute of Technology Arunachal Pradesh, Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, India

    P. Mahanta

Appendices

Appendix 1

Specifications of reference tractor-semitrailer: Interstate Tractor-Trailer WB-62

figure a

Appendix 2

See Table 1.

Table 1 Comparison of CFWC and SFWC models with respect to maximum off-tracking
Full size table

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Jogi, A., Chandramohan, S. (2020). Zero-Speed Off-tracking Analysis of Tractor-Semitrailer with Split Fifth Wheel Coupling for 90° and 180° Turning Manoeuvres. In: Biswal, B., Sarkar, B., Mahanta, P. (eds) Advances in Mechanical Engineering. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0124-1_137

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0124-1_137

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-0123-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-0124-1

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