Modelling and analysis of vehicle-structure-road coupled interaction considering structural flexibility, vehicle parameters and road roughness

To determine the dynamic forces acting on vehicle components a vehicle-structure-road interaction is considered. Coupled interaction was modelled using a flexible bridge-like thin beam structure with four and six Degree of freedom (DOF) half car models. In addition to the flexible structure, the road conditions were added to the model as random and non-random surface irregularities. A coupled equation of motion of the whole system was derived using Lagrange equations, and converted to a first-order state-space equation and then solved using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. Besides the dynamic forces, the effects of the vehicle speed, bridge flexibility, tire stiffness, random or non-random road irregularities on the passenger comfort are widely investigated. The results obtained were compared by several early VBI (Vehicle-bridge-interaction) studies in the literature and proved accurate with a 5 % difference.