Object-oriented multibody motorcycle modelling for control systems prototyping

This paper presents a simulation model for the dynamic behavior of a motorcycle developed in Modelica, within the Dymola environment, tailored to be employed for test and validation of active control systems for motorcycle dynamics. Specifically, we illustrate the modular approach to motorcycle modeling and discuss the tire-road interaction model, which is the crucial part of the simulator. Moreover, we propose a virtual driver model which allows to track a predefined trajectory and keep a target speed during different maneuvers. Finally, we investigate the problem of active braking control system design for motorcycles, proposing a braking control logic which can handle panic brakes on a curve. This analysis assesses the effectiveness of the proposed model for control systems prototyping.