A COMPUTER SIMULATION APPROACH TO TRACTOR TRAILER 2 DYNAMICS :

Applying the equations of equilibrium to the trailer , we get

W trail sin H p + M trail aH p +W trail cos X cg

Rw = ( L+ rH db )

P y =W trail cos Rw

Px =W trail sin + M trail a + rRw

OR

{ (
Px =sin W trail +
rW trH p
L+ rH db
+cos
)}
W trailX cg
L+ rH db { }
M a H pr
+ M trail a + trail
L+ rH db ( )

{
P y =cos W trail
W trailX cg
L+ rH db } {
sin
W trailH p
L+ rH db
M aH p
trail
L+ rH db }( )

Grade resistance

( W trac +W trail ) sin + r cos ( W trac + W trail ) + ( M trac + M trail ) a

M at A=0 gives us ,
 cg
WBL
Rr( WB ) =W trac sin H cg + M trac aH cg +W trac cos ( WBLcg ) + P xH db + P y

Substitute for P x P y ,We get

WB+ X db

M trailaH p ( W
W trailH p
L+ rH

{ W H H db
W tracsin H cg + M trac aH cg +W trac cos ( WBLcg ) + sin W trailH db+ r trail p
L+ rH db
+ cos } {
W trail X cg rH
L+ rH db
1
R r=
WB

Equate utRr =Grade resistancefinally you get an equation of thetype ,

A cos + B sin +C=0

Where,

A=
ut
WB {
W trac ( WBLcg )+
W trailX cgrH db
L+ rH db
+ W trail ( WB+ X db )
W trailX cg ( WB+ X db )
L+ rH db }
r ( W trac +W trail )

B=
ut
WB { W trailH pH db W trailH p ( X db+WB )
W trac H cg +W trail H db+ r
L+ rH db

L+ rH db }
( W trac +W trail )
C=
ut
WB { W H pH db M trail aH p ( WB + X db )
M tracaH cg + M trailaH db + trail
L+ rH db

L+ rH db }
a ( M trac + M trail )

The Equation A cos + B sin +C=0 can be solve for as ,

=sin1 (Dcos )

C
Where , D=
B

1 A
Thisis theTLG for tractor 2Wheel Trailer combination=tan
B

STABILITY LIMITED GRADEABILITY

M at Rearwheel ground contact point =0 gives ,

Rf ( WB )+ W trac sin H cg + M trac aH cg + P xH db + P yX db=W trac cos Lcg

OR

1
WB {
Rf = cos ( W tracLcg )sin ( W tracH cg )P xH dbP y X dbM trac aH cg }

Put R y =0We get {}=0 as WB 0. Simplifying we get an equation of type ,

A cos + B sin =C
Where,

rX cgH dbW trail W X X

A=W tracLcg W trailX db + trail cg db
L+ rH db L+ rH db

rW trailH pH db W trailX dbH p

B=W tracH cgW trailH db +
L+ rH db L+ rH db

M trail aH prH db M trail aH pX db

C=M trac aH cg + M trail aH db+
L+ rH db L+ rH db

The Equation A cos + B sin =C can be solved as ,

=sin1 ( Xcos )

C B
Where , X=
A
, =tan 1
A( )

This is the Stability Limited gradeability for Tractor + 2 Wheel

Trailer Combination.

SLIDING LIMITED GRADEABILITY

=Gross Traction= ( W trac W trac front static( 0.2 )+ P y ) t

GR=Grade resistance
 ( W trac +W trail ) sin + rcos ( W trac +W trail ) + ( M trac + M trail ) a

Equating GT=GR, We get

sin {
tW trailH p
L+ rH db } {
( W trac+W trail ) +cos tW trail
W trailX cgt
L+ rH db }{
r ( W trac +W trail ) + tW trac W f0.2

Thus Equation A sin + B cos +C=0 can be solved as ,

=sin1 (D cos )

A C
Where , =tan 1 D=
B B

Now we Summarize the governing equations for tractor + 2-W Trailer

Dynamics,

Traction Limited Gradeability (TLG) is the angle at which the maximum

tractive force developed by the tractor equals the total resistance
( grade resistance + rolling resistance + inertia resistance ) offered by
the tractor and trailer combination.
Stability limited Gradeability (SLG) is the angle at which the front
wheel reaction of the tractor becomes zero.
Sliding limit gradeability (SL) is the angle at which the front wheel
reaction becomes equals to 20% of the static front weight (the tractor
and is the minimum value adopted from the viewpoint) safe operation
of the tractor.
From the equations, it is very clear that the performance limits are a
function of :
1) Coefficient of traction.
 2) Coefficient of Rolling resistance.
3) Acceleration value.
4) Tractor geometrical parameters (wheelbase, C.G. height, Length
of C.G. of trailer to hitch point, Height of trailer tow hitch)
5) And distance between rear axle to trailer hitch.
Observe that in case of 2-W trailer, you get additional traction because
of the weight transfer from the trailer. Thus it is not surprise to observe
that the TLG Limits for 2-W trailer are greater than that of 4-W trailer.
We follow the same procedure as in the case of report 2 and study the
effect of various parameters on the gradeability limits. We shall mainly
focus on traction and stability limited limits as they are very important.
Rather than studying the effect of parameters such as C.G. of the
tractor (Which anyway gets fixed once the tractor is designed.) We
shall mainly focus on the effect of variation of trailer hitch height.