Utilizing Dynamic Analysis in the Complex Design of an Unconventional Three-Wheeled Vehicle with Enhancing Cornering Safety

• Published in: Machines (Basel) 2023-08, Vol.11 (8), p.842
• Main Authors: Blatnický, Miroslav, Dižo, Ján, Sága, Milan, Molnár, Denis, Slíva, Aleš
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Automobiles; Business competition; calculation; Control systems; Cornering; Design; design proposal; dynamic analysis; Dynamic loads; Energy consumption; Energy costs; Fatigue; Fatigue life; Fatigue testing machines; Fatigue tests; Geometry; Industrial safety; Materials; Mathematical analysis; Rollover; safety; Steering; Suspension systems; Testing equipment; three-wheeled vehicle; Transportation industry; Transportation safety; Vehicles; Yield stress
• ISSN: 2075-1702; 2075-1702
• DOI: 10.3390/machines11080842

Current trends in the transportation industry prioritize competitive rivalry, compelling manufacturers to prioritize concepts such as quality and reliability. These concepts are closely associated with public expectations of safety, vehicle lifespan, and trouble-free operation. However, the public must recognize that a vehicle weighing several hundred kilograms, moving at a non-zero speed, only contacts the road surface through a few points (depending on the number of wheels), each no larger than a human palm. Therefore, it is imperative to operate the vehicle in a manner that optimizes the behavior of these contact points. There are situations where drivers find themselves requiring dynamic vehicle handling, often unpredictable with a high degree of uncertainty. Rapid changes in direction become necessary in these cases. Such maneuvers can pose a significant risk of rollover for three-wheeled vehicles. Hence, the vehicle itself should contribute to increased ride safety. This paper presents key findings from the development of an unconventional three-wheeled vehicle utilizing the delta arrangement. Rollover safety for three-wheeled vehicles is currently well-managed, thanks to the utilization of electronic or mechatronic systems in delta-type vehicles to enhance stability. However, these systems require additional components. In contrast, the proposed control system operates solely on a mechanical principle, eliminating operational costs, energy consumption, maintenance expenses, and similar factors. The study also explores the absence of equivalent suspension and steering systems for front-wheel steering. Such designs are lacking in both practical applications and theoretical realms. Analytical and simulation calculations are compared in this study, highlighting the effectiveness of the newly proposed control system in enhancing stability and safety compared to conventional front-wheel suspension systems. Simulation programs provide more realistic results than analytical calculations due to their ability to account for dynamic effects on vehicle components and passengers, which is practically unfeasible in analytical approaches. Furthermore, this study focuses on investigating the fatigue life of material frames subjected to dynamic loading, which is a crucial aspect of ensuring safety. It is essential to have various testing devices to examine the fatigue life of materials under both uniaxial and multiaxial loading conditions. However, obtaining experim