Modelling the Pressure Transients and Pushrod Extension of a Multi-Chamber Pneumatic Braking System

Abstract

The pneumatic braking system for a Tractor-Truck is a crucial element for safe operation. Creating a model of the transient pressure in the brake chambers and the pushrod extension can enable a better understanding of how the braking system works and further someone’s ability to discover a malfunction in a braking system before a catastrophic failure occurs. A study done by FMCSA in July 2007 stated that brake problems were an associated factor in 29% of crashes with large trucks [15]. Previous studies have been completed on individual pieces of the braking system at Texas A&M. The purpose of this study is to verify those mathematical models when being used to monitor several brake chambers simultaneously. The experiment that has been performed, tracks the pressure in six brake chambers arranged in the "typical" tractor configuration. The results show a model that does a relatively good job of predicting the steady state of the system. However, the prediction of the transient dynamics of the pressure suffers from much error. Further exploration on this topic may be needed if the current model is to continue being used for monitoring the pressure transients in the system.