Lateral Load Transfer Effects on Bifurcation Behavior of Four-Wheel Vehicle System

In this article, vehicle handling behavior of a nonlinear four-wheel vehicle system is studied. Bifurcations with respect to vehicle speed and roll moment distribution are examined for innate understeering and oversteering models. Lateral load transfer effects are investigated, and these effects are shown to alter the bifurcation locations for oversteering vehicles when the roll moment distribution is adjusted. When the roll moment distribution is used as a control parameter, transitions between bifurcation behavior characteristic of oversteering systems and bifurcation behavior characteristic of understeering systems are observed. This effort provides a framework for developing a complete vehicle handling assessment in terms of nonlinear regions of performance, transient behavior, and lateral load effects.