PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATES
Dynamics of Heavy Duty Trucks
Key Information
Course Dates
Time Commitment
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CREDENTIALS
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Learn the foremost research on performance properties and engineering requirements.
Whether you are new to truck systems or have years of experience, this three-day course will help you understand their special dynamic behavior by merging the fundamentals of vehicle dynamics and the details of truck components and properties.
Learn from leading University of Michigan researchers and industry experts. Stay engaged through computer simulations, case studies, and real-world examples.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Gain an understanding of the fundamental principles that determine the handling and ride performance of pneumatic-tired vehicles
- Examine the special mechanical and geometric properties that determine the unique performance properties of commercial trucks
- Understand the influences of the mechanical properties of subsystems and components on the dynamic performance of the total vehicle system
- Gain exposure to methods and tools available to analyze heavy duty truck behavior
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
LEARNING SCHEDULE
Tues-Thurs 8:00AM – 4:30PM ET
LAPTOP REQUIRED FOR IN-PERSON OFFERINGS
- Categories of performance
- Subsystems of the vehicle
- Terminology, sign conventions, symbols
- Overview of vehicle dynamics theory
- Contrasts between motor cars and heavy trucks
- Mechanics of the heavy truck duty tire
- Behavior of heavy truck suspensions
- Kinematics and mechanics of steering systems
- Simplifying assumptions
- Unit truck and articulated vehicle models
- Ride quality
- Off-tracking
- Steady state and transient response to steering
- The rollover process with the influence of slosh and shifting loads
- Multi-Unit Vehicles
- Functional vehicle control
- Interaction with highway geometric features
- Connected vehicles
TRUCKSIM® SOFTWARE
Participants will receive a 60-day trial of TruckSim®, a software tool for simulating and analyzing the dynamic behavior of medium to heavy trucks, buses, and articulated vehicles. You will have ample opportunity to explore the software before, during, and after the course.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
In addition to engineers involved in vehicle dynamics, this course is intended for people engaged in activities such as:
- Truck and truck component design
- Truck equipment selection
- Fleet safety operations and equipment specification
- Accident prevention
- Development of truck safety standards
- Highway/truck interaction
- Measuring vehicle behavior
- Highway safety standards and regulationsÂ
New engineers who could benefit from learning about truck mechanics will find it especially useful.
THE ONLY COURSE OF ITS KIND
INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM
STEVE KARAMIHAS, PHD
- Lead Instructor
- Senior Research Specialist, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
CHRIS WINKLER, PHD
- Research Scientist Emeritus, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
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