Estimation of the Sideslip Angle of an Articulated Vehicle by an Observer

A direct yaw-moment control system of an articulated vehicle is being developed to reduce the vehicle's turning radius. This system can control the yaw moment around the vehicle's center of gravity by operating the right or left braking force. However, it has been noted that the vehicle's stability may worsen when the sideslip angle increases depending on the speed and the road conditions. Thus, as a safety measure, it is necessary to detect the sideslip angle and release the small-radius turning control. In this study, an observer was designed to estimate the body sideslip angle for the articulated vehicle and compared with the experimental results of the vehicle moving in a zigzag line. The estimated sideslip angle agreed with the experimental results.