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A framework for terrain-induced uncertainty quantification in vehicle dynamics simulation

Published Online:pp 234-255https://doi.org/10.1504/IJVSMT.2009.032018

This paper outlines a methodology for determining the statistics associated with the time evolution of a non-linear multi-body dynamic system operated under input uncertainty. The focus is on the dynamics of ground vehicle systems in environments characterised by multiple sources of uncertainty: road topography, friction coefficient at the road/tyre interface and aerodynamic force loading. Drawing on parametric, maximum likelihood estimation, the methodology outlined is general and can be applied to systematically study the impact of sources of uncertainty characterised herein by random processes. The proposed framework is demonstrated through a study that characterises the uncertainty induced in the loading of the lower control arm of an SUV type vehicle by uncertainty in the road topography.

Keywords

uncertainty quantification, terrain modelling, vehicle dynamics, vehicle modelling, vehicle simulation, Gaussian process, nonlinear dynamic systems, multibody dynamic systems, ground vehicle systems, road topography, friction coefficient, road-tyre interface, aerodynamic force loading, SUV vehicles