Identification of configurational effectiveness on improvement of tractor stability on uneven roads

It has been identified that tractor stability can be affected by multiple factors, including configurational and environmental parameters. To improve tractor stability and enhance the resistance of the tractorimplement system to exterior disturbs, three tractor physical parameters were selected as the key control factors to examine their statistical significances and to find out the corresponding desired levels. In this study, a scaled experimental system consisting of a scaled tractor-implement model, force-sensing system, random road surfaces was developed. The tractor was operated to travel forward passing over two classes of rough road. Various tractor configuration patterns were assigned following the L27 orthogonal array according to the Taguchi design of experiment. Adopting the concept of lateral-load transfer ratio, the output voltage signals of the force sensing resistors were calculated for the stability indexes basing on tractor front and rear axles. Results showed that the type of tractor front tire and the ballast weight significantly varied the ground contact condition of the front tires, while the rear track width of the tractor predominantly determined the rear-axle-based vehicle stability.