A generic fuzzy electrohydraulic steering controller for off-road vehicles

Abstract

A fuzzy controller, unlike most other mathematical model-based controllers, incorporates human heuristic knowledge on how to control a plant. Since the representation of the heuristic knowledge for controlling similar plants is often the same, it is possible to design a generic fuzzy controller to control those plants. This paper presents a method for designing a generic fuzzy electrohydraulic steering controller usable for various types and/or models of wheel-type off-road vehicle. This research found that it was possible to design one generic fuzzy controller to steer different types and/or models of wheel-type vehicle having similar steering mechanisms. The only required modification was to redefine the domain of fuzzy values to make them represent the controllable range of the particular steering actuating system. Validation tests verified that this generic fuzzy controller was capable of accomplishing satisfactory steering control on five types and/or models of agricultural vehicle.