Modeling and Simulation of the Maneuverability Performance in Articulated Trolleybus for Urban Transit Applications 1

The research paper presents a detailed study on the maneuverability performance of an articulated trolleybus, emphasizing its suitability for urban public transportation in constrained environments. It begins by contextualizing the limitations of traditional steel-wheel trams, such as large minimum curve radii and noise issues, and highlights the advantages of rubber-tired trams, including noise reduction, flexibility, and improved passenger comfort. The articulated trolleybus, featuring a three-body modular design with power units at the ends and a trailer in the middle, employs advanced steering control strategies integrating optical and magnetic sensing with virtual track guidance to achieve precise maneuvering. The study rigorously analyzes key maneuverability metrics—minimum turning radius, sweep path width, off-tracking, and yaw response—ensuring compliance with urban road design standards, particularly a minimum turning radius of 15 meters. Using MSC ADAMS multi-body simulation software, the paper models the trolleybus’s dynamic behavior negotiating tight horizontal curves (15 m radius), S-shaped curves, and steep vertical gradients (up to 13%), revealing critical articulation angles up to 28° between car bodies and up to 16.8° between the car body and bogie, which are essential for stability and stress distribution. Simulations confirm a minimum turning radius of approximately 14 meters, with swing-out, off-tracking, and swept path widths well within safety limits, demonstrating the vehicle’s capability to navigate tight urban spaces effectively. The articulated design’s rotational freedom about multiple axes accommodates complex road geometries and uneven surfaces, while the front-axle steering control strategy ensures superior tracking performance and stability compared to rear or combined axle control. The findings provide a theoretical and practical foundation for optimizing articulated trolleybus design, highlighting their potential to enhance urban transit capacity and flexibility by enabling higher passenger volumes and improved cornering ability. The study recommends further validation through extensive simulations and real-world testing to refine control algorithms and structural components, underscoring the articulated trolleybus as a promising solution for modern, efficient, and resilient urban public transportation systems.