Unit-VI

Two Wheeler Dynamics

SYLLABUS
Two Wheeler Dynamics:
Stability & handling, vehicle motion ride control, various vehicle models, gyroscopic effect and effect
of Tire and vehicle parameters on stability and handling characteristics.

Gyroscopic couple
When a body is moving with uniform linear velocity along a circular path, it is subjected to centrifugal
force radially outward. The action of centrifugal force or reactive force is to tilt or move the body along
radially outward direction.
Consider a disc spinning with an angular velocity about axis of spin OX in anticlockwise direction
when seen from front, as shown in Fig.- a.
Since the plane in which the disc is rotating is parallel to the plane YOZ, called plane of spinning. The
horizontal plane XOZ, called plane of precession and axis of spin rotates about an axis OY called axis of
precession, at P - an angular velocity of precision of axis of spin.

Let, I = Mass moment of inertia of disc about OX

= Angular velocity of the disc
Angular momentum of the disc = I .
Since the angular momentum is a vector quantity, therefore it is represented by the vector , as
shown in Fig.-b. The axis of spin OX is also rotating anticlockwise when seen from the top about the axis OY.
Let the axis OX is turned in the plane XOZ through a small angle radians to the positions OX in time t
seconds. Assuming the angular velocity to be constant, the angular momentum is represented by vector ox.

Since the rate of change of angular momentum will result the application of a couple to the disc, so the couple
applied to the disc causing precession

Stability of Two-wheeled Vehicle

When a two-wheeler takes a turn, there is reaction at wheels due to centrifugal force and gyroscopic couple.

Let, m = Mass of the vehicle and its rider in kg.

W = Weight of vehicle and its rider in newton= m.g
h = Height of the center of gravity of vehicle and rider
rw = Radius of the wheels
R = Radius of track or curvature
IW = Mass moment of inertia of each wheel
IE = Mass moment of inertia of rotating parts of engine
W = Angular velocity of the wheels
E = Angular velocity of the engine
G = Gear ratio = E /W
v = Linear velocity of the vehicle = Wx rw
P = Angular velocity of precession or tilt of spin axis
= Angle of heel, inclination of the vehicle to the vertical for equilibrium

When the vehicle take a turn, it has to heel-over towards the center of turning to counteract the over-turning
effect.
Effect of gyroscopic couple :

When the wheels move over the curved path, the vehicle is always inclined at angle with the vertical plane,
known as angle of heel, which is the axis of spin inclined to the horizontal at an angle . Thus the angular
momentum vector I due to spin represented by OA inclined to OX at angle , but precession axis is vertical.
Therefore the spin vector is resolved along OX

Effect of centrifugal couple :

This force acts horizontally through the center of gravity (C.G.) along the outward direction i.e. anticlockwise
direction seen from front of vehicle

Since the centrifugal couple has a tendency to overturn the vehicle, therefore

The balancing couple acts in clockwise direction, when seen from the front of the vehicle.
Therefore for the stability, the total overturning couple must be equal to the balancing couple, i.e.

From this expression, the value of angle of heel may be determined, so that vehicle does not skid.