Analysis and Evaluation of 8x8 4-axle Vehicles with Assisted Steering System by Utilizing Mathematical and Computer Aided Design Models

Abstract

In general, an 8x8 vehicle steers with only the front two axles. In order to shorten the turning radius of the vehicle for better maneuverability, an assisted steering system could be implemented at the fourth axle. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the assisted steering systems for improving the maneuverability of 8x8 4-axle vehicles. Firstly, a steady-state mathematical steering model was established for analyzing the steering performance and driving tracks of this 8x8 vehicle with a fourth axle assisted steering system. Then, the study applied a computer-aided-design model of ADAMS to simulate the driving tracks of this vehicle. Finally, we verified these models by comparing the actual driving tracks with the simulated results of the models.This study constructed the 8x8 vehicle models with different features and evaluated the models by actual experiments. The appropriate model could be applied for the 8x8 4-axle vehicle assisted steering system design.