Abstract
Keywords - truck, optimization, general-arrangement decision, general mass and geometrical parameters, axle load
An actual challenge is the creation of new generations of heavy-duty trucks for transportation of cargoes on long and ultralong distances. They are able to reduce the amount of transport on roads and drivers borrowed in cargo transportations, to increase an economic efficiency and a safety of transportations and to reduce harmful emissions in an environment.
Multilink trucks with three and more active links are most suitable for the purpose above. This requires new methods for designing such type of vehicles with perspective use in a virtual creation process. It will prove an operate opportunity for ultralong trucks with several active links without an infringement of regulations. First of all it concerns parameters of general length and gross weight of the truck.
At the initial stage of an offered method (we named it as the preliminary optimization) there is grounded and optimised the general-arrangement scheme with finding such mass and geometric parameters of multilink trucks when normal axel loadings to a road do not exceed the admissible normative values, but provide the given tractive characteristics and maneuverability for the truck.
For mention stage parameters are optimized for a motionless and making maneuver with minimum kinematics´ speed multilink truck. As initial data, criteria and restrictions for optimization we refer a gross weight of the truck, its overall dimensions, traction (an overcome rise is not less than 18% and 12% while truck is starting) and maneuverability requirements (minimal external and internal radiuses of turn).
Mass and geometrical parameters, which are found, have a transient state and should be finally determined and substantiated during the further optimization in accorder with estimated running characteristics using dynamic models and carrying out of virtual tests in a full cycle of virtual designing.