LAB2: Circle test with a radio controlled car

Deadline to hand in: February 20, 23:59 in Canvas

SD2225 Ground Vehicle Dynamics - 2024

Introduction
In this assignment you, together with a classmate (sign up your group in Canvas), will experimentally
investigated the steady-state cornering behaviour of a small radio controlled (RC) vehicle, see Figure
1. A number of vehicle parameters can be changed on the vehicle (tyre type at front and rear,
vehicle mass and CoG position) and you shall analyse the effect of different RC-vehicle setups on
the understeer gradient Kus , as well as their effect on the cornering stiffness for each axle i.e. C12
and C34 .

Figure 1: The RC vehicle

Experimental setup
Our experimental set up is a radio controlled vehicle on which we can alter the following parameters:

1. the CoG (which can be altered by placing a small mass either at the front or the rear on the
vehicle),

2. the vehicle mass (which can be altered by adding an extra mass to the vehicle and placing it
in the CoG to not change the CoG placement by the additional mass),

3. the front and rear tyre characteristics (which can be changed by switching tyre type. Two
setup of tyres are available. One setup have tread pattern and the other setup has no tread
pattern i.e. slicks.)

As presented in Chapter 7 in the course literature, circle tests can be performed in different ways.
For the radio controlled vehicle you will keep steering angle constant and the vehicle velocity will be
varied between the tests. The radius of the circle that the vehicle creates will be measured. There

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is no sensors on the vehicle, however we use a stopwatch, a measuring tape and a radio controller
that can be set to constant speed and constant steering angle. The magnitude of the speed and the
steering angle have to be calculated from the test results. The RC vehicle is also equipped with a
laser at the rear axle as can be seen in Figure 1. The laser will during the circle test create a smaller
circle inside the circle which the vehicle will create. By also measuring the inner circle you can create
plots of the lateral force as a function of slip angle for each axle which makes it possible to estimate
the cornering stiffness of each axle in the linear range i.e. C12 and C34 . For easier reading of the
radius of the inner circle we will use a tool that can signal when the laser is perpendicular to it.

Data for the RC-vehicle is found in Table 1.

Table 1: RC-vehicle data

Parameter Description
Mveh = 1.35 kg Mass of the vehicle (excluding the additional load)
mel = 0.20 kg Extra load (to add or remove)
L = 0.258 m Wheelbase
λf = 0.47 CG placement, extra load front position
λb = 0.59 CG placement, extra load back position
Jz ≈ 0.017 kgm2 Inertia, z-direction
tw= 0.14 m Track width

Test plan
Similar to full scale experiments, only a limited amount of tests can be conducted. We will have
time to test 8 different vehicle configurations (Table 2). With two “levels” for each parameter we
can choose to either do a full factorial test with 3 parameters or a fractional factorial test with 4
parameters. Since we want to test as many parameters as possible, we will do the latter, using the
L8 matrix (Table 3) derived from the theory in Chapter 2 in the course literature. All configurations
will be driven with the same fixed steering angle and six different velocities will be tested.

Table 2: The eight configurations

[Tyres, front:] Type A (+) / Type B (-)
[Tyres, rear:] Type A (+) / Type B (-)
[Mass:] High (+) / Low (-)
[CoG position:] Front (+) / Rear (-)

Table 3: L8 matrix for fractional factorial test with 4 parameters.

Setting Mass CoG position Tyre, front Tyre, rear
1 - - - -
2 + + - -
3 - + + -
4 + - + -
5 - + - +
6 + - - +
7 - - + +
8 + + + +

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Measurements
The measurements will be done in the Vehicle Engineering Lab during four 1-hour test sessions
to gather all necessary data. You will therefore need to test 2 settings at each session. You only
need to attend one of the sessions, which are scheduled February 5 between 13:00 and 17:00.
Sign up for a time slot in advance in Canvas.

Preparations before the measurements

Read the lab instructions and reflect on how you can use the measurements to calculate the understeer
gradient Kus and estimate the axle cornering stiffnesses, C12 and C34 . Read Chapter 7.1 - 7.5 in
the course literature for inspiration.

After the measurements

All results from the measurements are collected by the teacher responsible for the lab and made
available on Canvas. Using the data (the complete L8 matrix), two different analyses shall be made:

1. Investigate to what degree the four different parameters front tyres, rear tyres, total mass,
and CoG position will affect the RC-car’s understeer gradient Kus in the linear region of the
vehicle, i.e. for low lateral acceleration.

2. Analyse the front and rear lateral force, i.e. the two axles, with relation to the slip angle for
the tyres, for all the settings. Determine the cornering stiffness for the axles, C12 and C34 for
all settings.

Below are some guidance for each task along with what is expected to be included in your report.

1. The effect of the parameters on Kus

The four parameters’ effect on Kus is determined from the data gathered. At first, plot δ − δA as
a function of centripetal acceleration to determine it (similar to the figures in Chapter 7.5 in the
course literature but with the Ackermann angle subtracted). Secondly, determine the slope of the
curve for low acceleration, i.e. when we have linear vehicle behaviour.

The report should include a complete L8 matrix with the 4 parameters (including all
parameter combinations), a pareto diagram, and δ−δA plots with explanations and analysis,
as well as estimated values of Kus . It should also include possible sources of errors found.

2. Lateral force versus slip angles for the two axles

The body slip angle, i.e. the slip angle at the CoG, can be calculated directly from the geometrical
relations measured. Figure 2 may be helpful for understanding the problem. The radius of the
circles, the vehicle data and the measured steering angle can be used for the calculations, following
Equation 1, where R1 is the radius of the larger circle in Figure 2 and R2 the smaller (R1 should
actually be the turn radius for the rear axle in Equation 1, but the turn radius of the centre of gravity
can be used as approximation).

R2 − b
β = − arcsin( ) (1)
R1
The tyre slip angles α12 and α34 can be calculated with Equations 7.1.4 and 7.1.5 in the course
literature through vx and vy . It is also possible to use the geometric relations for these slip angles

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 Figure 2: Illustration of a circle test with the laser pointing into the circle.

in a similar way as β is calculated, which for the rear axle (where the laser is mounted) is given
by α34 = − arcsin( R R1 ). To calculate vx , use the geometric relationship of vt (velocity tangential
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to the driven circle), vr (velocity radial to the driven circle) and β (see Figure 3). The coordinate

Figure 3: Illustration of the relation between vt and vx .

transformation can be done using the I to M1 system transformation matrix in Chapter 1.4.3 in the
course literature (replacing ψ with (−β) since the rotating system along the circle is used instead
of the ground fixed system I, but with reversed relation for the angle):

     
vx cos(−β) − sin(−β) 0 vt
 vy  =  − sin(−β) cos(−β) 0  ·  vr 
     
vz 0 0 1 vz

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  
vt · cos(−β) + vr · sin(−β) ( )
steady − state : vr = 0
=  −vt · sin(−β) + vr · cos(−β)  =
 
planar − motion : vz = 0
vz
 
vt · cos(−β)
=  −vt · sin(−β)  (2)
 
0

You also have to solve the equations of motions with relation to the lateral force for each axle, and
for this the equations below can be of help (it might be a good idea to try to derive the equations
yourself to gain more understanding of the problem):

( ) ( ) ( )
12 ·ψ̇·vx
m · ay = F F12 = mcos(δ)
P
steady − state : vr = 0
⇒ ⇒ (3)
Jz · ψ̈ = M planar − motion : vz = 0
P
F34 = m34 · ψ̇ · vx

Here m12 and m34 are the weights on the wheel axles, and vx is velocity along the vehicle x-axis,
i.e. not the velocity tangential to the driven circle.

Now you should be able to plot F12 and F34 as functions of α12 and α34 respectively (i.e. what
lateral force you generate for a specific tyre slip angle) for the different settings. The cornering
stiffness for the axles, C12 and C34 , are estimated from the slope near zero slip angle.

The report should include plots of F12 and F34 as functions of α12 and α34 for all configu-
rations, and corresponding estimations of C12 and C34 .

Submission
You shall write a lab report (max. 10 pages) with your way of calculations, your results and your
analysis. The report is not required to have a table of content, introduction and explanation of
tests. Figures must have clear descriptions, units and clear reference to the curves (with legend or
text). Upload it on Canvas as pdf not later than February 20, 23:59. Don’t forget to write your
group number as well as the names of the two persons that have made the report.