Method of Improving Lateral Stability by Using Additional Yaw Moment of Semi-Trailer

The lateral stability control of tractor semi-trailer plays a vital role for enhancing its driving safety, and the distributed electric drive structure of a hub motor creates opportunities and challenges for realising the lateral stability accurately. Based on the dynamics simulation software TruckSim, a nonlinear dynamic tractor semi-trailer model is established, and a MATLAB/Simulink linear three-degree-of-freedom monorail reference model is established. The upper controller adopts fuzzy proportional–integral–derivative control to export active yaw torque values of the tractor and semi-trailer. The lower controller outputs the driving/braking torque of each wheel according to the target wheel driving/braking rules and torque distribution rules. The tractor produce an active yaw torque through conventional differential braking the hub motor is installed on both sides of the semi-trailer, and the active yaw torque is produced by the coordinated control of the driving/braking torque of the hub motor and the differential braking of the mechanical braking system. To prevent wheel locking, the slip rate of each wheel is controlled. Finally, based on the TruckSim–MATLAB/Simulink cosimulation platform, cosimulation is performed under typical working conditions. The simulation results show that the control strategy proposed in this report is superior to the conventional differential braking control (ESP). It can not only improve the lateral stability of the vehicle more effectively, but also improve the roll stability.