A describing-function approach to antiskid design

A describing-function approach is employed in the design of an antiskid braking system. This includes the specification of the dynamics of a braking vehicle, a proposed system employing a feedback compensator to provide antiskid behavior, and the determination of the design parameters by a describing-function analysis. A wide range of tire-roadway conditions was considered in the latter. The resulting design was implemented and evaluated in field tests. The observed antiskid braking performance was approximately that predicted from the design. Thus the describing-function approach, especially in view of its ease of application and the insights it provides, appears to be a useful one for the control aspect of antiskid design.