Planning Collision-Free Trajectories for Reversing Multiply-Articulated Vehicles

A global path-planning strategy is proposed which defines the geometric path of the rear trailer axle of a multiply-articulated vehicle traveling in reverse. This is intended for use in conjunction with a path-tracking reversing controller. A general multiple-trailer vehicle model is derived and used to model a “B-double” heavy vehicle combination, which has two trailers. The curvature properties of a path for the rear trailer axle are investigated, and an empirical relationship is defined between the curvature and the length over which the curvature changes. This is used to generate a library of feasible path segments, and the vehicle model is used to calculate swept paths. A Dijkstra grid search algorithm is then used to connect the path segments together to generate a collision-free composite path. An example path generation is presented for the B-double.