Understanding the limitations of different vehicle models for roll dynamics studies

An accurate and realistic vehicle model is essential for the development of effective vehicle control systems. Many different vehicle models have been developed for use in various vehicle control systems. The complexity of these models and the assumptions made in their development depend on their application. This article looks into the development and validity of vehicle models for prediction of roll behavior and their suitability for application in roll control systems. A 14 DOF vehicle model that includes dynamics of roll center and nonlinear effects due to vehicle geometry changes is developed. The limitations, validity of simplified equations, and various modeling assumptions are discussed by analyzing their effect on the model roll responses in various vehicle maneuvers. A formulation of the popular 8 DOF vehicle model that gives good correlation with the 14 DOF model is presented. The possible limitations of the 14 DOF model compared with an actual vehicle are also discussed.