VACANCY INTERNSHIP PROJECT We are looking for students interested in carrying out their internship project at DAT.Mobility
Development of self-optimizing mechanism for vehicle maneuvers Problem description For designing roads, turn, crossings for all kind of vehicles Goudappel Coffeng has developed a simulation program for vehicle maneuvers that has proven to be accurate and reliable. But it has a major disadvantage: users have to optimize input data manually in order to find the optimal trajectory. For a selected vehicle the trajectory is specified in single curves: turns or straight forward. For instance, in order to pass a simple roundabout a vehicle may make these movements: 1) Turn to the right on entering the roundabout 2) Turn to the left on travelling over the roundabout 3) Turn to the right on leaving the roundabout For each of these movements the user has to provide parameter values for (among other things): Speed in km/h Angle of the turn in degrees Allowed minimal radius in meters (this applies in particular to curve nr 2) Usually speed is given (or: requirement), and the user searches in a trial and error process for the right distances, angles and minimum radiuses. For users who do not use the software often this can be an extensive process. A new mechanism that searches for parameter values that will make the vehicle pass waypoints that are given by the user is therefore drafted below. In most cases, when the mechanism has determined a trajectory the exact location of the waypoints will need adjustment, but in this process the adjustments are graphical which is much easier. And this process will go much faster. For instance:
0 – a tractor-trailer combination has to make a S-curve (left-right). The user has specified two waypoints (red dots) that the vehicle should pass; 1st cycle: a standard curve left (15 km/h, 10 degrees, a tight as possible). By increasing the turning-angle the vehicle approaches the first waypoint: nd 2 cycle: at a turning of 74 degrees the vehicle approaches the waypoint closest – but not exactly: the driven curve is too tight. The inner radius needs to be enlarged: 3rd cycle: Now the vehicle passes the waypoint exactly: 15 km/h, 65 degrees (at enlarging the inner radius there is less turning required), inner radius tractor 12,6 m); 4th cycle: towards the next waypoint. It will be clear to the user that the given locations for the waypoints cause an impossible maneuver; 5th cycle: by moving the waypoints (green dots) it is possible to make the maneuver within the available space.