Experimental validation of the lateral dynamics of a bicycle on a treadmill

Conference paper (2009)

Authors

J.D.G. Kooijman Dreamhal
A.L. Schwab Biomechatronics & Human-Machine Control - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
Research Group
Biomechatronics & Human-Machine Control (Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering) (TU Delft)
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Published Date

2009

Language

English

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Faculty

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

Department

Biomechanical Engineering

Research Group

Biomechatronics & Human-Machine Control

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental validation of the lateral dynamics of a bicycle running on a treadmill is presented. From a theoretical point of view, bicycling straight ahead on a treadmill with constant belt velocity should be identical to bicycling on flat level ground with constant forward speed. However, two major differences remain: first, stiffnesses of the contact of the tire with the belt compared to the contact on flat level ground; second, the belt velocity is fixed with respect to the world, irrespective of the change in heading of the bicycle on the treadmill. The admissibility of these two differences is checked by comparing experimental results with numerical simulation results. The numerical simulations are performed on a three-degree-of-freedom benchmarked bicycle model [1]. For the validation we consider the linearized equations of motion for small perturbations of the upright steady forward motion. This model has been validated experimentally in a previous work [2]. The experimental system consists of an instrumented bicycle without a rider on a large treadmill. Sensors are present for measuring the roll rate, yaw rate, steering angle, and rear wheel rotation. Measurements are recorded for the case in which the laterally perturbed bicycle coasts freely on the treadmill. From these measured data, eigenvalues are extracted by means of curve fitting. These eigenvalues are then compared with the results from the linearized equations of motion of the model. As a result, the model appeared to be accurate within the normal bicycling speed range, and in particular the transition from stable to unstable weave motion was very well predicted.