Design and simulation of the PSA truck with trailer

• Main Author: Tian, Shuo.
• Other Authors: Yap Fook Fah
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Motor vehicles; DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Simulation and modeling
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/42855
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In conjunction with the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), the model of the tractor semitrailer was created separately by SolidWorks based on the detail drawing. In the simulation, the tractor semitrailer was modeled as two rigid bodies hinged together and in-plane motion. The virtual scene of the port had been presented by importing containers models to the animation and redefining the ground conditions. The animation of simulation shows a realistic event of a PSA truck happened on the road by the port. Based on the excellent work done by the author’s senior, a literature review of the theory and factors of a truck’s behavior were undertaken. Truck accidents especially Jackknife are often caused by maneuvers such as braking with subsequent brake lock-up at high speed, from suddenly steering into a turn where the cornering may lead to lateral wheel skidding, or from some combination of these factors. Different events and accidents had been simulated and analyzed using simulation software. The analysis performed on the simulation results suggested that dry road surface and equipment of ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) have a very positive influence on safety. While it is difficult to evaluate the accuracy of the simulation results, this study serves as a guide to physical jackknife analysis. This study can be further developed to analysis more factors that contribute to accidents. The effectiveness of accident prevention measures can be evaluated using the simulation software. A vista of the future is that by application of virtual control system or station equipped with devices like steering wheel or Joystick, users can “drive” the vehicle virtually and record the behavior data in real time. Theoretically, this technique can be realized and improved by existing techniques in the field of virtual reality.