Driving stability of a vehicle with high centre of gravity during road tests on a circular path and single lane-change

Issues of driving stability of special-purpose vehicles result from engineering compromise between need of fulfilment of operational requirements and traction correctness of a vehicle. Especially, it concerns a motion in dynamic conditions with presence of high transverse accelerations. The paper comprises description and analysis of motion stability test results of a special-purpose two-axis vehicle with kerb mass of above 12 ton, with 4WD drive system, on a circular path drive and single line-change. One described methodology of the testing, used testing-measuring instrumentation, and distribution of the instrumentation in tested vehicle. It have been included a brief descriptions of the implemented instrumentation and method of acquisition and processing of the measurement data. One has tested a vehicle with highly located and considerably moved rearward centre of gravity. Such distribution of axle loads resulted from necessity of fulfilment of operational requirements of the vehicle. In the paper are presented test results performed for nominal and reduced with 20% tyre pressure. There were analyzed runs of lateral accelerations and axle slip angles in assumed condition of motion. One formulated general conclusions on stability characteristics for such type of vehicles.