Optimized torque allocation strategy on multi-wheel vehicles

Multi-wheel vehicles are extensively utilized in civil and military fields, since they are powerful in complex environment, originating from over-actuated multi-wheel driven system. It is necessary that the kinematics and dynamics of all wheels have to be coordinated controlled. In this paper, the optimized torque allocation strategy on skid steering multi-wheel vehicle driven by independent in-wheel motors has been proposed based on vehicle dynamical model and wheel torque distribution characteristics. Subsequently, weighting control allocation error and control energy as the optimization target, wheel torque control allocation was solved using quadratic programming method. Integrated with wheel slip control and actuator fault redundancy control schemes, the optimization algorithm is correspondingly implemented, which improved the dynamic performance and safety of steering vehicle. The effectiveness of wheel torque distribution strategy was validated in Matlab/Simulink which demonstrated that torque can be redistributed among the effective motors when one wheel motor fails.