Technical Reference

Here is a limited bibliography of technical papers describing some of the underlying technology of CarSim, TruckSim, and BikeSim.

Vehicle Dynamics

Gillespie, T.D. Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics. 1992, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA.

The best-selling textbook by a Mechanical Simulation co-founder.

Vehicle Modeling

Watanabe, Y. and Sayers, M. W., "The Effect of Nonlinear Suspension Kinematics on the Simulated Pitching and Rolling Dynamics Behavior of Cars." 18th International Symposium Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and Tracks, IAVSD '03, JSME and JSAE, 2003, Atsugi, Japan.

This describes some modeling features introduced in CarSim 6.

Y. Watanabe, M.W. Sayers , "Extending Vehicle Dynamics Software for Analysis, Design, Control, and Real-Time Testing," presented at the The 6th AVEC Symposium, Hiroshima, Japan, Sep 9-13, 2002.

An overview of CarSim and CarSim RT.

R. S. Sharp," Influences of suspension kinematics on pitching dynamics of cars in longitudinal maneuvering," Vehicle System Dynamics supplement to Vol. 33, Swets and Zeitlinger (Lisse), 2000, 23-36.

Sayers, M.W., "Vehicle Models for RTS Applications." Vehicle System Dynamics, Vol. 32, No. 4-5, Nov. 1999, pp. 421-438.

This paper presents the modeling assumptions in CarSim RT.

Sayers, M.W. and S. M. Riley, "Modeling Assumptions for Realistic Multibody Simulations of the Yaw and Roll Behavior of Heavy Trucks." In SAE International Congress and Exposition. Detroit, MI: February 26-29, 1996. SAE Paper No. 960173.

These two papers describe the fundamental modeling assumptions in early versions of CarSim and TruckSim, with some validation results.

Sayers, M.W. and Han, D.S., “A Generic Multibody Vehicle Model for Simulating Handling and Braking.” Presented at the 14th IAVSD Symposium, Ann Arbor, 1995, Vehicle System Dynamics, Vol. 25 supplement, 1996, pp. 599-613.

Watanabe, Y. and Sharp, R. S., "Mechanical and Control Design of a Variable Geometry Active Suspension System." Vehicle System Dynamics, Vol. 32, 2-3, August 1999.

Early collaborations between Dr. Yukio Watanabe and Prof. Robin Sharp.

Watanabe, Y. and Sharp, R. S., "The Application of Neural Network Learning Control to the Design of a Low-Energy Active Suspension System." 4th International Symposium on Advanced Vehicle Control, AVEC '98, JSAE, 1998, Nagoya, Japan.

Simulation of Multibody Dynamics

R. S. Sharp, "Multibody dynamics applications in vehicle engineering", invited keynote lecture for Multibody Dynamics: New Techniques and Applications," I. Mech. E. Conference Transactions 1998-13, Professional Engineering Publishers, London, 215-228.

Sayers, M.W., "Symbolic Vector/Dyadic Multibody Formalism for Tree-Topology Systems." Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 14, No. 6, Nov/Dec 1991, 1240-1250. (aiaa_formalism.pdf)

These two papers describe the basic design and methodology in the AutoSim multibody symbolic code generator.

Sayers, M.W., "Symbolic Computer Language for Multibody Systems." Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 14, No. 6, Nov/DEC 1991, 1153-1163. (aiaa_language.pdf)

The PhD dissertation provide more detail, including the treatment of nonholonomic constraints and closed kinematical loops, and results of benchmark multibody examples.

Sayers, M.W., "Symbolic Computer Methods to Automatically Formulate Vehicle Simulation Codes." Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Michigan, February 1990. (um_phd_sayers.pdf)

Sayers, M.W. and C.W. Mousseau, "Real-time Vehicle Dynamic Simulation Obtained with a Symbolic Multibody Program." Transportation Systems 1990, AMD-Vol 108, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1990. pp. 51-58

This paper compares the performance of CarSim-type car models with others.

R. S. Sharp, "Use of the symbolic multibody modelling code AUTOSIM for vehicle dynamics", AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES, AUTOTECH "97, Mech. Eng. Publ., Bury St Edmunds, 1997-7, 189-197.

These papers report on activities by Robin Sharp, using Mechanical Simulation's AutoSim code generator to study vehicle dynamics. The methods are similar to those used at Mechanical Simulation to create and maintain our vehicle models.

R. S. Sharp, "Vehicle dynamics modelling with the aid of a symbolic multibody code", Proc. AVEC '96, RWTH Aachen, Vol. 2, June 1996, 971-984.