Parameter Estimation of a Countershaft Brake for Heavy-Duty Vehicles with Automated Mechanical Transmission

A countershaft brake is used as a transmission brake (TB) to realize synchronous shifting by reducing the automated mechanical transmission (AMT) input shaft's speed rapidly. This process is performed to reduce shifting time and improve shifting quality for heavy-duty vehicles equipped with AMT without synchronizer. To improve controlled synchronous shifting, the AMT input shaft's equivalent resistance torque and the TB's characteristic parameters are studied. An AMT dynamic model under neutral gear position is analyzed during the synchronous control interval. A dynamic model of the countershaft brake is discussed, and its control flow is given. The parameter identification method of the AMT input shaft's equivalent resistance torque is given on the basis of the least squares algorithm. The parameter identification of the TB's characteristic parameters is proposed on the basis of the recursive least squares method (RLSM). Experimental results show that the recursive estimations of the TB's characteristic parameters under different duty cycles of the TB solenoid valve, including brake torque estimation, estimation accuracy, and braking intensity estimation, can be effectively estimated. The research provides some reliable evidence to further study the synchronous shifting control schedule for heavy-duty vehicles with AMT.