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Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and...
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Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Transportation and Future Mobility".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2023) | Viewed by 36108

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Edgar Sokolovskij

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Automobile Engineering, Faculty of Transport Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: vehicle dynamics; road safety; road accidents analysis, modelling and expertise
Dr. Vidas Žuraulis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Automobile Engineering, Faculty of Transport Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: vehicle dynamics; road safety; road accidents analysis; vehicle active and passive safety; road user behaviour

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Smooth operation of the transport sector and its progress are inseparable from new technologies in vehicle design. This is achieved by developing vehicles dynamics and performance, as well as technical solutions that improve road safety. Moreover, the analysis of vehicle movement, traffic flow planning and road accident data analysis on a certain driving conditions are required for effective transport operation. Active, passive and integral vehicle safety is constantly being developed, and various measures ensuring road safety are being improved; however, the associated research are still relevant as around 1.3 million people die on the world's roads every year. The evaluation and development of the latest technological solutions, their application problems and modelling methods, related to vehicle dynamics is planned to present in this Special Issue keeping it into the context of road safety and accident analysis.

This Special Issue will focus on the latest advances, new technologies and their application in fields, related with vehicle dynamics and safety, road safety, accident analysis, simulation and reconstruction. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • vehicle dynamics and their operational characteristics;
  • road safety: technologies, simulations and applications;
  • road accidents analysis, modelling and reconstruction;
  • active, passive and integral vehicle safety;
  • traffic flow planning and optimisation;
  • technical solutions for traffic organisation and problems of their application;
  • road user behaviour and human factor influence on road safety;
  • transportation of dangerous goods;
  • connected and autonomous vehicles;
  • alternative solutions in road safety research.

Prof. Dr. Edgar Sokolovskij
Dr. Vidas Žuraulis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vehicle dynamics
  • road safety
  • accidents analysis
  • accidents reconstruction
  • active safety
  • passive safety
  • traffic flows
  • traffic organization
  • dangerous goods
  • autonomous vehicles
  • human factor

Published Papers (24 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

7 pages, 192 KiB  
Editorial
Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations, and Applications
by Edgar Sokolovskij and Vidas Žuraulis
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3735; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app14093735 - 27 Apr 2024
Viewed by 314
Abstract
Alongside various road safety aspects, vehicle dynamics play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life in modern society within a holistic traffic safety framework [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

24 pages, 4346 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Relative Importance of Factors Affecting the Conveyance of Bulk and Liquid Cargo
by Kristina Čižiūnienė, Jonas Matijošius, Jūratė Liebuvienė and Edgar Sokolovskij
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1151; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app14031151 - 30 Jan 2024
Viewed by 611
Abstract
The transportation of bulk or liquid cargo is crucial for ensuring the delivery of such cargo to areas lacking well-established infrastructure or favorable natural conditions. These areas may lack sufficient rail or air transport accessibility, or may not have suitable embankments along rivers, [...] Read more.
The transportation of bulk or liquid cargo is crucial for ensuring the delivery of such cargo to areas lacking well-established infrastructure or favorable natural conditions. These areas may lack sufficient rail or air transport accessibility, or may not have suitable embankments along rivers, lakes or seas with appropriate loading and unloading facilities. Regarding distinctive characteristics, we would like to emphasize the following: (1) Efficient freight accessibility without the need for more infrastructure that is tailored to the existing natural circumstances; (2) An efficient and cost-effective mode of transportation for the movement of small quantities of goods; (3) The cargo philosophy is designed to meet customer expectations by providing a convenient and personalised service that is focused on delivering goods directly to their door. This research employed theoretical methodologies to characterize the primary force exerted by vehicles in the transportation of bulk and liquid commodities (the relationship between centrifugal force and speed and the relationship between the center of gravity and speed). Furthermore, by using expert assessment, the significance indicators pertaining to the individual criteria impacting the transportation of bulk and liquid cargoes were ascertained, along with the identification of their interrelationships (comparison of the different forces in the transportation process of bulk and liquid cargoes, comparison of the criteria of centrifugal force in the transportation process of bulk and liquid cargoes, comparison of the dangerous factors in the transportation process of bulk and liquid cargoes, comparison of the critical level of tank filling in the transportation process of bulk and liquid cargoes, and comparison of the factors that can affect the dynamics of a vehicle in the transportation process of bulk and liquid cargoes). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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17 pages, 7713 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Different Drivers’ Steering Inputs on the Response of Heavy Ground Vehicles to Crosswind Disturbances
by Tural Tunay, Lars Drugge and Ciarán J. O’Reilly
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 270; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app14010270 - 28 Dec 2023
Viewed by 614
Abstract
The general approach in the previous studies was to ignore the driver’s steering contribution to a vehicle while investigating the interactions between crosswind and vehicle. Therefore, the goal of this study is to find out how steering inputs by drivers affect a heavy-ground [...] Read more.
The general approach in the previous studies was to ignore the driver’s steering contribution to a vehicle while investigating the interactions between crosswind and vehicle. Therefore, the goal of this study is to find out how steering inputs by drivers affect a heavy-ground vehicle’s dynamic reaction to crosswinds. In the investigation, a two-way interaction between vehicle dynamics and aerodynamic simulations was employed. The steering inputs of drivers were modelled using a driver model taken from the previous literature that is able to reproduce the steering responses of a human driver. The study’s findings demonstrated that the steering inputs made by drivers significantly impacted how the vehicle responded to crosswinds. For instance, the greatest lateral displacement of the least skilled driver (Driver 1) was around 1.53 times the greatest lateral displacement of the most skilled driver (Driver 3) at the delay time of tδ,delay = 0.5 s in the steering input. Additionally, the maximum lateral displacement results of Driver 1 and Driver 3 at tδ,delay = 1.0 s became 1.39 and 1.56 times greater than their maximum lateral displacement results at tδ,delay = 0.5 s. Similarly, the total steering inputs of Driver 1 and Driver 3 at tδ,delay = 1.0 s were 1.4 and 2.2 times greater than their total steering inputs at tδ,delay = 0.5 s, respectively. In general, the results of a driver who is more skilled than Driver 1 (Driver 2) fall in between the respective results of Driver 1 and Driver 3. On the other hand, each driver’s total steering inputs at tδ,delay = 0.5 s were roughly the same as their total steering inputs at tδ,delay = 0 s. In all delay scenarios for the start of the driver’s steering inputs, the drivers’ steering inputs amplified the yaw moment applied to the vehicle. Meanwhile, they diminished the lateral force and roll moment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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15 pages, 18312 KiB  
Article
Finite Element Analysis of Tyre Contact Interaction Considering Simplified Pavement with Different Aggregate Sizes
by Zhi Li, Weiyong Chen, Yinghui Li and Wenliang Wu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 12011; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app132112011 - 3 Nov 2023
Viewed by 833
Abstract
This study considered the effect of pavement aggregate grain size on tyre–pavement contact interaction during the late stages of pavement skid resistance. First, hemispherical shells 7, 9, and 13 mm in diameter were used to simulate coarse pavement aggregates. Subsequently, a three-dimensional finite [...] Read more.
This study considered the effect of pavement aggregate grain size on tyre–pavement contact interaction during the late stages of pavement skid resistance. First, hemispherical shells 7, 9, and 13 mm in diameter were used to simulate coarse pavement aggregates. Subsequently, a three-dimensional finite element tyre–pavement contact model developed using ABAQUS was employed to analyse the contact interaction between each simplified pavement type and the tyre under steady–state rolling and braking conditions. Finally, the concept of occlusal depth was proposed and applied to characterise pavement skid resistance. The results showed that under steady–state rolling conditions, the peak contact stress of the simplified pavement increased with the pavement mean texture depth, whereas the contact area decreased. Under steady–state braking conditions, the effect of the contact interaction between the tyre and simplified pavement aggregates was ranked in order of superiority as aggregate grain sizes of 9, 7, and 13 mm, indicating that aggregate grain size did not exhibit any correlation with tyre–pavement contact interaction. Additionally, the squares of linear correlation coefficients between the pavement cumulative occlusal depth and horizontal braking force reached 0.921, 0.941, 0.889, and 0.894 for vehicle speeds of 30, 60, 90, and 120 km/h, respectively, indicating that they could be used to assess pavement skid resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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18 pages, 10018 KiB  
Communication
Integral Analysis of a Vehicle and Electric Power Steering Logic for Improving Steering Feel Performance
by Seunghoon Woo, Chanwoo Heo, Man-Ok Jeong and Jun-Mo Lee
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11598; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app132011598 - 23 Oct 2023
Viewed by 2099
Abstract
This research aims to investigate steering feel by analyzing a steering system and an electric power steering logic. First, steering feel is defined based on previous research, and methods for evaluating it are discussed. Second, a sensitivity analysis is conducted by modeling our [...] Read more.
This research aims to investigate steering feel by analyzing a steering system and an electric power steering logic. First, steering feel is defined based on previous research, and methods for evaluating it are discussed. Second, a sensitivity analysis is conducted by modeling our developed vehicle and that of a competitor known for its excellent steering feel via a multi-body simulation. We then propose a straightforward method to determine the parameters associated with steering feel to achieve the desired steering characteristics. Last, by modifying the electric power steering control system, we achieve a steering feel in our vehicle that matches the desired steering characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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16 pages, 2747 KiB  
Article
Characteristic Analysis and Decision Model of Lane-Changing Game for Intelligent Connected Vehicles
by Dayi Qu, Shouchen Dai, Aodi Li, Yicheng Chen and Chuanbao Wei
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8321; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13148321 - 18 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1300
Abstract
To study the lane-change interaction characteristics of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) and reduce the risk of vehicle lane-changing decisions, a decision model based on the lane-changing game characteristics of the ICV is proposed in this paper. In the modeling process, the characteristics of [...] Read more.
To study the lane-change interaction characteristics of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) and reduce the risk of vehicle lane-changing decisions, a decision model based on the lane-changing game characteristics of the ICV is proposed in this paper. In the modeling process, the characteristics of vehicle lane-changing interaction behavior are analyzed based on evolutionary game theory and the vehicle game lane-changing payoff functions are quantified. The stability of the game equilibrium points is analyzed by using a dynamic evolution equation, and sensitivity analysis of the main factors affecting vehicle lane changes and the time to the collision of vehicles is conducted. The SUMO software is used to simulate and verify the vehicle game decision model, and the results show that the game decision system converges to different optimal strategy combinations under different traffic conditions, and this model can effectively reduce the decision-making conflict and the collision risk of vehicles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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20 pages, 3244 KiB  
Article
Proportion-Based Analytical Hierarchy Process for Determining Prominent Reasons Causing Severe Crashes
by Md Kamrul Islam and Uneb Gazder
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7814; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13137814 - 3 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1176
Abstract
Governments and authorities worldwide consider road traffic crashes (RTCs) to be a major concern. These crashes incur losses in terms of productivity, property, and life. For a country to establish its road and action plans, it is crucial to comprehend the reasons for [...] Read more.
Governments and authorities worldwide consider road traffic crashes (RTCs) to be a major concern. These crashes incur losses in terms of productivity, property, and life. For a country to establish its road and action plans, it is crucial to comprehend the reasons for and consequences of traffic collisions. The main objective of this research study was to evaluate and rank the important and supporting factors influencing traffic crashes on the road. To identify the most significant accident causation elements, the proportion-based analytic hierarchy process (PBAHP) was used to order the factors in terms of their relative importance. In this study, the city of Al-Ahsa, located in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, was used as a case study, since this city is the highest RTC-prone area in the region. PBAHP was used to calculate relative importance/weights for different crash types and reasons in terms of their impact on crash severity. It was found that vehicle-overturned collisions which result in fatal crashes have the most weight, whereas “hit motorcycle” crashes result in serious injury crashes. When vehicles (two or more) collide with one another while they are moving, it appears that the likelihood of a fatality in a collision increases. The highest weights for serious injury crashes came from “driver distraction”, “leaving insufficient safe distance”, and “speeding”, which also generated similar and relatively high weights for fatal crashes. Weights from the PBAHP approach were also used to develop utility functions for predicting the severity of crashes. This approach could assist decision-makers in concentrating on the key elements affecting road traffic crashes and enhancing road safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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23 pages, 7935 KiB  
Article
Research on the Vehicle Steering and Braking Stability Region
by Xianbin Wang, Weifeng Li, Fugang Zhang, Zexuan Li and Wenlong Bao
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7806; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13137806 - 2 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 952
Abstract
Solving the stability region in the plane motion of vehicles has become a hot research topic in vehicle handling stability under extreme conditions, but there is still a lack of research on the stability region under steering and braking conditions. In this paper, [...] Read more.
Solving the stability region in the plane motion of vehicles has become a hot research topic in vehicle handling stability under extreme conditions, but there is still a lack of research on the stability region under steering and braking conditions. In this paper, a five-degree-of-freedom (5DOF) nonlinear dynamic model of a vehicle with braking torque introduced is established, and the model is transformed into an equivalent system by using the D’Alembert principle. Then, the equilibrium points of the equivalent system are solved by using an improved hybrid algorithm combining the genetic algorithm (GA) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP) method. According to the bifurcation characteristics of the equilibrium points, the boundary of the stability region at the given initial longitudinal velocity is determined, and the three-dimensional stability region is fitted. Finally, the stability region of the equivalent system and the original system are analyzed by the energy dissipation method, and the stability region determined by the equilibrium point bifurcation method is verified by simulation. The results show that as the braking torque increases, the number of equilibrium points increase to three from one, the equilibrium bifurcation method proposed in this paper can effectively solve the stability region of the equivalent system, and the solution results are consistent with the original system stability region. When the limited braking torque is 500 N·m and the initial longitudinal velocity increases from 30 m/s to 50 m/s, the absolute value of the front wheel steering angle at the boundary point changes from less than 0.02 rad to more than 0.02 rad. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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21 pages, 1741 KiB  
Article
Periodical Vehicle Inspections with Smart Technology
by Peter Tapak, Michal Kocur, Matej Rabek and Juraj Matej
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13127241 - 17 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1978
Abstract
This paper presents the major outcomes of the utilization of smart phone applications in the periodical technical inspection process. Road safety is one of the main topics in transportation. Technical defects of vehicles can play an important role in fatal accidents; therefore, periodical [...] Read more.
This paper presents the major outcomes of the utilization of smart phone applications in the periodical technical inspection process. Road safety is one of the main topics in transportation. Technical defects of vehicles can play an important role in fatal accidents; therefore, periodical vehicle inspection is a common practice amongst many countries across all continents. The authors observed that advancements in smart technologies presented an opportunity to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of vehicle inspections. They specifically focused on the Slovak Republic and described the transition of technical inspections towards smart technologies in this country. The goal was to utilize new technologies and improvements without increasing costs dramatically. The paper discusses the outcomes of the first two years of using this app at every technical inspection station in the Slovak Republic. The smart phones were used not only to help with process management but the novelty is that they also collected data from the sensors and used their own sensors for the vehicle dynamics measurements. One of the important factors is the successful implementation of low cost devices at such a large scale, country wise. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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14 pages, 2440 KiB  
Article
Road Pavement, Road Pollution, and Sustainability under Climate Change Increased Temperature
by Ana Estela Barbosa, Simona Fontul, Ana Cristina Freire and Ana Rita Simões
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 6949; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13126949 - 8 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1361
Abstract
This paper presents a multidisciplinary approach to understand the impacts of temperature increase on the retention of particulate pollutants, such as heavy metals and microplastics, by the road pavement material. A soil with a particle size distribution similar to road dust was selected. [...] Read more.
This paper presents a multidisciplinary approach to understand the impacts of temperature increase on the retention of particulate pollutants, such as heavy metals and microplastics, by the road pavement material. A soil with a particle size distribution similar to road dust was selected. A Wheel Tracking device was used to assess the permanent deformation behavior of prismatic specimens and the retention of the dust, at controlled temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C, likely to occur on pavement in the future. The soil representing road pollutants was placed at the top of the slabs prior to the Wheel Tracking Test (WTT), based on the European Standard EN 12697-22:2020. After the WTT, two common methods were used, in order to evaluate the soil retention (pollution accumulation) on road pavement. The results confirm that the viscoelastic behavior of bituminous mixtures under increased temperatures can contribute to particle retention at the pavement. Future studies are needed to understand the phenomena, the retention characteristics by different bituminous mixtures, and the efficiency of pollutants capture. The work opens the opportunity to develop innovative road pavement bituminous mixtures that can reduce the discharge of road particulate pollutants, and have increased resilience and sustainability in extreme weather conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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19 pages, 3165 KiB  
Article
Predictive Vehicle Safety—Validation Strategy of a Perception-Based Crash Severity Prediction Function
by Roman Putter, Andre Neubohn, Andre Leschke and Roland Lachmayer
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6750; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13116750 - 1 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1833
Abstract
Traffic accident avoidance and mitigation are the main targets of accident research and vehicle safety development worldwide. Despite improving advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and active safety systems, it will not be possible to avoid all vehicle accidents in the near future. Innovative [...] Read more.
Traffic accident avoidance and mitigation are the main targets of accident research and vehicle safety development worldwide. Despite improving advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and active safety systems, it will not be possible to avoid all vehicle accidents in the near future. Innovative Pre-Crash systems (PCS) should contribute to the accident mitigation of unavoidable accidents. However, there are no standardized testing methods for Pre-Crash systems. In particular, irreversible Pre-Crash systems lead to great challenges in the verification and validation (V&V) process. The reliable and precise real-time crash severity prediction (CSP) is, however, the basic prerequisite for irreversible PCS activation. This study proposes a novel validation and safety assessment strategy for a perception-based crash severity prediction function. In doing so, the intended functionality, safety and validation requirements of PCS are worked out in the context of ISO 26262 and ISO/PAS 21448 standards. In order to reduce the testing effort, a real-data-driven scenario-based testing approach is applied. Therefore, the authors present a novel unsupervised machine learning methodology for the creation of concrete and logical test scenario catalogs based on K-Means++ and k-NN algorithms. The developed methodology is used on the GIDAS database to extract 35 representative clusters of car to car collision scenarios, which are utilized for virtual testing. The limitations of the presented method are disclosed afterwards to help future research to set the right focus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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27 pages, 1177 KiB  
Article
An Approach to Guide the Search for Potentially Hazardous Scenarios for Autonomous Vehicle Safety Validation
by Tchoya Florence Koné, Eric Bonjour, Eric Levrat, Frédérique Mayer and Stéphane Géronimi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13116717 - 31 May 2023
Viewed by 1084
Abstract
Safety validation of Autonomous Vehicles (AV) requires simulation. Automotive manufacturers need to generate scenarios used during this simulation-based validation process. Several approaches have been proposed to master scenario generation. However, none have proposed a method to measure the potential hazardousness of the scenarios [...] Read more.
Safety validation of Autonomous Vehicles (AV) requires simulation. Automotive manufacturers need to generate scenarios used during this simulation-based validation process. Several approaches have been proposed to master scenario generation. However, none have proposed a method to measure the potential hazardousness of the scenarios with regard to the performance limitations of AV. In other words, there is no method offering a metric to guide the search for potentially critical scenarios within the infinite space of scenarios. However, designers have knowledge of the functional limitations of AV components depending on the situations encountered. The more sensitive the AV is to a situation, the more safety experts consider it to be critical. In this paper, we present a new method to help estimate the sensitivity of AV to logical situations and events before their use for the generation of concrete scenarios submitted to simulators. We propose a characterization of the inputs used for sensitivity analysis (definition of the context of the automation function, generation of functional and logical situations with their associated events). We then propose an approach to set up a distribution function that will make it possible to select situations and events according to their importance in terms of sensitivity. We illustrate this approach by implementing it on the Traffic Jam Chauffeur (TJC) function. Finally, we compare the obtained sensitivity rank with expert judgment to demonstrate its relevance. This approach has been shown to be a promising method to guide the search for potentially hazardous scenarios that are relevant to the simulation-based safety validation process for AV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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15 pages, 3615 KiB  
Article
Research Determining the Priority Order of Forces Acting on a Vehicle Transporting Logs
by Jonas Matijošius, Kristina Čižiūnienė, Jūratė Liebuvienė and Edgar Sokolovskij
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6174; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13106174 - 18 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 933
Abstract
When transporting different types of cargo, the factors affecting the cargo must be assessed to ensure a safe and fast transportation process. However, the specificity of the cargo means that the standard assessment methods do not reflect the existing conditions or are standard [...] Read more.
When transporting different types of cargo, the factors affecting the cargo must be assessed to ensure a safe and fast transportation process. However, the specificity of the cargo means that the standard assessment methods do not reflect the existing conditions or are standard at the theoretical and/or recommendation level. Therefore, in the event of a traffic accident, when a vehicle or cargo is damaged or other traffic participants are put at rink, assessment of the situation is difficult and requires an expert assessment. Then, the most optimal means of accomplishing this is to simulate transportation parameters with a specific vehicle and cargo. The transportation of wooden logs is a very specific method of transportation where, in addition to the weight of the load itself, it is necessary to assess how the load affects the dynamics of the vehicle. Therefore, determining the priority of the forces that act on the vehicle carrying wooden logs becomes very important in order to model the transport parameters of this cargo. This article uses an analytical survey, an expert survey and its analysis, and methods to determine correlations. Given the fact that the main forces acting on the load most often manifest during a turn, this study assessed road turns and the respective speed on them as the main parameters. Other parameters, such as road roughness and roundabouts, were not assessed, because they would be an object of long-distance research. The study results revealed that the main forces affecting a vehicle transporting logs manifest in the following priority order: inertial forces, gravity forces, frictional forces and, finally, centrifugal forces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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14 pages, 3062 KiB  
Article
Utilizing Different Machine Learning Techniques to Examine Speeding Violations
by Ahmad H. Alomari, Bara’ W. Al-Mistarehi, Tasneem K. Alnaasan and Motasem S. Obeidat
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5113; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13085113 - 20 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1528
Abstract
This study investigated the potential impacts on speeding violations in the United States, including the top ten states in terms of crashes: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. Several variables connected to the driver, surroundings, vehicle, road, [...] Read more.
This study investigated the potential impacts on speeding violations in the United States, including the top ten states in terms of crashes: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. Several variables connected to the driver, surroundings, vehicle, road, and weather were investigated. Three different machine learning algorithms—Random Forest (RF), Classification and Regression Tree (CART), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP)—were applied to predict speeding violations. Accuracy, F-measure, Kappa statistic, Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), Area Under Curve (AUC), and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) were used to evaluate the algorithms’ performance. Findings showed that age, accident year, road alignment, weather, accident time, and speed limits are the most significant variables. The algorithms used showed excellent ability in analyzing and predicting speeding violations. The RF was the best method for analyzing and predicting speeding violations. Understanding how these factors affect speeding violations helps decision-makers devise ways to cut down on these violations and make the roads safer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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16 pages, 6823 KiB  
Article
Measurement Repeatability of Rail Wheel Loads Caused by Rolling Surface Damages
by Gediminas Vaičiūnas, Gintautas Bureika and Stasys Steišūnas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4474; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13074474 - 31 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1131
Abstract
The repeatability of rail wheel damage measurements is considered in this study. The authors investigated the measurement repeatability of vertical force dependence on wheel-rolling surface damage nature and suggested ways to reach higher repeatability. To investigate wheel-rolling surface damage impact on vertical force [...] Read more.
The repeatability of rail wheel damage measurements is considered in this study. The authors investigated the measurement repeatability of vertical force dependence on wheel-rolling surface damage nature and suggested ways to reach higher repeatability. To investigate wheel-rolling surface damage impact on vertical force measurement repeatability, the results of measuring forces with different measurement systems were compared first. Another critical issue was estimating the deviation field for the measured force values. The box and whisker principles were used. Different types (shapes) of rail wheel damages and rolling stock operating conditions were examined by field tests. The article presents the dependence determined by the authors, and how the repeatability of the wheel damage measurement depends on the speed of the rolling stock. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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16 pages, 1134 KiB  
Article
Solutions to the Problem of Freight Transport Flows in Urban Logistics
by Nijolė Batarlienė and Darius Bazaras
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4214; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13074214 - 26 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1847
Abstract
The operation of a city’s logistics system is associated with many problematic issues, for example, intense pollution and negative impacts on the environment, uneven intensity of traffic flows, and other problems. This article focuses on heavy transport because it causes disruptions in the [...] Read more.
The operation of a city’s logistics system is associated with many problematic issues, for example, intense pollution and negative impacts on the environment, uneven intensity of traffic flows, and other problems. This article focuses on heavy transport because it causes disruptions in the supply system and affects timely customer service. Optimization processes are associated with route selection, deployment of logistics centers, and the need for cargo consolidation–de-consolidation, which leads to the possibility of using the PPP (public–private partnership) method in practice. A unique aspect of this research is related to the problems of the first and last mile and the use of elements of the “sharing economy”. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the problematic challenges of the first and last mile and the role and significance of heavy transport in urban logistics. For that purpose, in addition to an analysis of scientific sources, an expert survey was conducted and responses related to the questions on optimizing heavy traffic flows in city logistics were analyzed. The study data were processed using Kendall’s correlation coefficient, the concordance method, and the consistency coefficient. During analysis, using the average rank transformation to weights (ARTIW) method, the subjective normalized weights of the main factors that have the greatest influence on a city’s logistics system were determined. Groups of interested parties are also named separately, for whom the results of the study and the formulated decision may be relevant. Based on the results of the research, a recommendation was formulated for the development of small cargo collection and distribution services through self-service terminals located on the outskirts of cities. Proposals are presented to reorganize the system, provide details of new infrastructure elements and suburban terminals, and encourage for the use of environmentally friendly vehicles with a lower carrying capacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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16 pages, 5727 KiB  
Article
Research on Instability and “Jack-Knifing” of Civil Aircraft Towing Taxi-Out System
by Jiahao Qin, Jinwang Liu, Qiwei Lin and Wei Zhang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3636; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13063636 - 13 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1991
Abstract
A new towing taxi-out departure mode has become the preferred choice to replace the traditional departure mode of civil aircraft due to its obvious advantages of low energy consumption, low emissions, and high efficiency. However, the inertia may lead to potential lateral instability [...] Read more.
A new towing taxi-out departure mode has become the preferred choice to replace the traditional departure mode of civil aircraft due to its obvious advantages of low energy consumption, low emissions, and high efficiency. However, the inertia may lead to potential lateral instability and even “Jack-knifing”, as the mass of the system is concentrated in the rear. In this paper, the lateral instability mechanism and influencing factors of the civil aircraft towing taxi-out system were studied using computer virtual simulation technology and taking Boeing 737–400 and AM210 tractors as research objects. The results show that the “Jack-knifing” phenomenon was caused by the lateral instability of the system when the sliding speed of the system was more than 15 km/h, and the system was accompanied by the lateral slip condition. Furthermore, the safety zone, side-show zone and jack-knifing zone of the system were defined in terms of towing speed and steering angle. Additionally, a towing safety zone was created under different airport track conditions by analyzing the lateral stability of the system. The conclusion of this study may provide a theoretical basis and reference for the safe application of the new taxi-out departure mode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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26 pages, 7041 KiB  
Article
Evaluation on Lateral Stability of Vehicle: Impacts of Pavement Rutting, Road Alignment, and Adverse Weather
by Gang Tian, Yanshun Jia, Zeqi Chen, Ying Gao, Shaoquan Wang, Ziyao Wei, Yufei Chen and Tianshuo Zhang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3250; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13053250 - 3 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1893
Abstract
The combination of pavement rutting, poor road alignment, and extreme adverse weather will seriously threaten the driving safety of vehicles, whereas only a few of these factors are commonly concerned. This study aims to efficiently evaluate the impacts of various driving conditions on [...] Read more.
The combination of pavement rutting, poor road alignment, and extreme adverse weather will seriously threaten the driving safety of vehicles, whereas only a few of these factors are commonly concerned. This study aims to efficiently evaluate the impacts of various driving conditions on the lateral stability of the vehicle and produce a practical recommendation for pavement maintenance in what concerns rutting. A systematic framework was, thus, developed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the lateral stability of the vehicle, which incorporates a single-factor test and multi-factor test based on the stability indicators obtained from Carsim simulations. The vehicle road weather model was established in the Carsim software by considering seven factors, including driving speed, width–height ratio (WHR) of rutting sidewall, radius of circular curve, superelevation, crosswind angle, crosswind speed, and friction coefficient, respectively. The results show that the established framework behaves with satisfactory performance, regarding evaluating the effect of various impact factors on the lateral stability of the vehicle while driving across rutting. Stability indicators suddenly fluctuate in a short time, due to the instantaneous wandering behavior of crossing rutting. Additionally, the sudden fluctuation phenomenon is greatly enlarged, and the vehicle is inclined to occur with lateral instability when WHR equals 5, particularly in roll-over instability. It is recommended to concurrently confine the WHR greater than 10 and friction coefficient greater than 0.4, in order to ensuring driving stability. The multi-factor test revealed that the vehicle speed and WHR of the rutting are leading factors that affect driving stability, followed by the radius of circular curve, superelevation, crosswind angle, crosswind speed and friction coefficient, respectively, which are both essential factors for driving stability. The outcomes of this study may contribute to supplying guidelines for controlling key adverse conditions and making decisions on pavement maintenance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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21 pages, 3315 KiB  
Article
Forecasting the Number of Road Accidents in Polish Provinces Using Trend Models
by Piotr Gorzelańczyk
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 2898; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13052898 - 23 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1205
Abstract
Many people die on the streets every year. The value is declining year by year, but there are still plenty of them. Although the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of traffic accidents, it is still very high. For this reason, in order to [...] Read more.
Many people die on the streets every year. The value is declining year by year, but there are still plenty of them. Although the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of traffic accidents, it is still very high. For this reason, in order to do everything possible to minimize the number of road accidents, it is important to know the federal states with the most road accidents and what the accident forecast is for the next few years. The purpose of this article is to predict the number of road accidents by state in Poland. The survey was divided into two parts. The first is an analysis of the annual data of police statistics on the number of road accidents in Poland for the period 2000–2021, upon the prediction of the number of traffic accidents from 2022 to 2031 was decided. The second part of the study looked at monthly data from 2000 to 2021. Again, the forecasts analyzed were determined for the period from January 2022 to December 2023. The results of this study indicate that a decrease in the number of accidents is also expected in the coming years, which becomes especially clear when analyzing the annual data. It is worth noting that the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic has distorted the results obtained. The study was performed in MS Excel using the selected propensity model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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16 pages, 6667 KiB  
Communication
Chassis Design Target Setting for a High-Performance Car Using a Virtual Prototype
by Seunghoon Woo, Yunchul Ha, Jinwoo Yoo, Esteve Josa and Donghoon Shin
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 844; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13020844 - 7 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3337
Abstract
In this study, the chassis design target setting for a high-performance car was performed using a virtual prototype to solve the problem of increasing complexity of vehicle development. To achieve efficient handling performance of Hyundai Avante N, a high-performance vehicle, the kinematic and [...] Read more.
In this study, the chassis design target setting for a high-performance car was performed using a virtual prototype to solve the problem of increasing complexity of vehicle development. To achieve efficient handling performance of Hyundai Avante N, a high-performance vehicle, the kinematic and compliance (K&C) characteristics of the chassis corresponding to the design target were set prior to the design process using virtual simulation, thereby facilitating the efficient and systematic development of the actual vehicle. In order to overcome the limitations of existing research and apply it to the actual development of mass-production vehicles, the following major tasks were performed. The first is setting quantitative factors that match the sensibility evaluation. The second is building a virtual model to ensure consistency in performance predictions. The third is optimizing the chassis characteristics to achieve the vehicle performance goal. When all optimization results were applied, the average of the performance items increased by 0.5 points and the standard deviation improved by 0.4 points compared to the existing Civic Type-R, which was the best. In the case of the final specification considering design constraints, the average of performance items increased by 0.1 point and the standard deviation improved by 0.5 point compared to the existing Civic Type-R. Therefore, the design target of the chassis systems that could achieve the vehicle handling performance goal could be established prior to the design. Using this virtual development, it is possible to eliminate the trial and error process that the first and second test cars needed. This could save more than 500,000 USD (per unit trim) of the first and second test vehicles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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15 pages, 3498 KiB  
Article
A Robust Intelligent Controller for Autonomous Ground Vehicle Longitudinal Dynamics
by Lhoussain El Hajjami, El Mehdi Mellouli, Vidas Žuraulis, Mohammed Berrada and Ismail Boumhidi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 501; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13010501 - 30 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1821
Abstract
In this paper, a novel adaptive sliding mode controller (SMC) was designed based on a robust law considering disturbances and uncertainties for autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) longitudinal dynamics. The robust law was utilized in an innovative method involving the upper bounds of disturbances [...] Read more.
In this paper, a novel adaptive sliding mode controller (SMC) was designed based on a robust law considering disturbances and uncertainties for autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) longitudinal dynamics. The robust law was utilized in an innovative method involving the upper bounds of disturbances and uncertainties. Estimating this lumped uncertainty upper limit based on a neural network approach allowed its online knowledge. It guided the controller to withstand the disturbance and to compensate for the uncertainties. A stability analysis, according to Lyapunov, was completed to confirm the asymptotic convergence of the states to the desired state. The effectiveness and benefits of the planned approach were scrutinized by simulations and comparative studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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22 pages, 4548 KiB  
Article
Research on Yaw Stability Control Method of Liquid Tank Semi-Trailer on Low-Adhesion Road under Turning Condition
by Gangyan Li, Teng Fu and Ran Zhao
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 39; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13010039 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1246
Abstract
To ensure that a liquid tank semi-trailer has good yaw stability and path-following performance on low-adhesion roads under turning conditions, a multi-object PID differential braking-control method is proposed, which takes the tractor yaw rate, semi-trailer yaw rate, and articulation angle as the control [...] Read more.
To ensure that a liquid tank semi-trailer has good yaw stability and path-following performance on low-adhesion roads under turning conditions, a multi-object PID differential braking-control method is proposed, which takes the tractor yaw rate, semi-trailer yaw rate, and articulation angle as the control parameters. According to the principle of equivalence, the trammel pendulum (TP) model is used to simulate the liquid sloshing effect in the liquid tank, and the Fluent software is used to identify the key parameters of the trammel pendulum model and verify the correctness of its simulation effect. Then, a co-simulation model is built based on TruckSim and MATLAB/Simulink. Based on the simplified six degrees of freedom model and the co-simulation model of a liquid tank semi-trailer, a multi-object PID differential braking-control method is designed, and the vehicle state responses with and without control are compared when it is turning on a low-adhesion road. The simulation results show that the proposed multi-object PID differential braking-control method can effectively improve the yaw stability and path-following performance of the liquid tank semi-trailer when turning on a low-adhesion road. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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20 pages, 1992 KiB  
Article
Road Infrastructure Investment Limits Based on Minimal Accidents Using Artificial Neural Network
by Md Kamrul Islam, Muhammad Abubakar Dalhat and Abdullah Al Mamun
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(23), 11949; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app122311949 - 23 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1193
Abstract
Road traffic accidents are still among the top major global causes of death, injury, and disability. Despite this cause for alarm and several preventive initiatives, global road accident statistics are not improving. This study modeled annual road accidents (ARAs) as a function of [...] Read more.
Road traffic accidents are still among the top major global causes of death, injury, and disability. Despite this cause for alarm and several preventive initiatives, global road accident statistics are not improving. This study modeled annual road accidents (ARAs) as a function of demographic, economic, passenger movement, freight movement, and road capital investment indicators. The research is based on 22 years of data from more than 36 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member and partner countries. Artificial neural network (ANN), multiple linear regression (MLR), and Poisson regression (PR) analysis were employed for this purpose. The ANN model outperformed the regression models by far, thus making it possible for reliable new insights and accurate results to be obtained. The ANN’s superior performance was shown to be a result of the non-linear relationship between ARA and some of the predicting variables. The average relative contribution of each variable in describing the ARA models was estimated using connection weight analysis (from the ANN model) and relative weight analysis for the regression model. The profile method was used to perform sensitivity analysis and to establish the partial variation trend of the ARA with each of the variables. The Existing Road Maintenance Investment (ERMI) and New Road Infrastructural Investment (NRII) showed a nonlinear concave-up relationship with ARA for given demography, economy, freight, and passenger movements. A combination of per capita NRII and ERMI corresponding to the minimum ARA exists. These sets of NRII and ERMI were considered safe road investment limits. The ANN-ARA model was utilized to estimate these limits with their relative proportion for diverse combinations of demography, economy, freight level, and passenger movement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

14 pages, 8715 KiB  
Review
Retrofitting of Bridge Slabs for Safety Railing Refurbishment in Italy: A State-of-the-Art Review
by Giuseppe Santarsiero
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 12051; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app132112051 - 5 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1069
Abstract
The recent accident of Mestre (northern Italy), which caused 21 fatalities due to a bus falling from a bridge, strongly highlighted the safety problem related to the presence of old railings along Italian roads. Bridge railings, also known as guardrails or parapets, serve [...] Read more.
The recent accident of Mestre (northern Italy), which caused 21 fatalities due to a bus falling from a bridge, strongly highlighted the safety problem related to the presence of old railings along Italian roads. Bridge railings, also known as guardrails or parapets, serve the crucial function of preventing vehicles from accidentally driving off the edge of a bridge. Performance requirements of safety railings have been recently increased due to laws and technical standards enforced in Italy and Europe. However, many bridges along important roads, such as motorways and highways, are currently equipped with outdated safety railings since they were built before these regulations came into force. Therefore, many people are daily exposed to the risk of heavy accidents due to railing failures as well as vehicles and people eventually present below such structures. This paper aims to outline the technical problems and solutions in bridge refurbishment interventions devoted to increasing traffic safety as, for example, the installation of code-conforming railings, which often require the structural retrofit of bridge elements supporting the railing. To this end, several technical solutions are described and critically compared, and, finally, an economic analysis is reported to highlight the slab retrofit influence on the total intervention cost. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vehicle Dynamics and Road Safety: Technologies, Simulations and Applications)
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