marinahmurillo / articulated_tractor_trailer_paper

This code was used to obtain the simulation examples presented in article entitled "Improving path-tracking performance of an articulated tractor-trailer system using a non-linear kinematic model"

To run this examples you need to install:

1. ROS Noetic
2. MPCTools

If you want to use the HSL library, then you have to install the HSL_MA97 from the HSL Mathematical Software Library. After installation, you might be able to uncomment line 116 from the following files:

• export_articulated_tractor_trailer_model.py
• export_articulated_tractor_model.py

Then, you have to create a catkin workspace, clone the code provided in this repository in the src folder and then build the packages.

Controlling the tractor's front block xy-position

To run simulation example shown in Section 5.1, you should open two terminal windows. In the first terminal, run:

source /opt/ros/noetic/setup.bash
source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash
roslaunch articulated_tractor_trailer_gazebo articulated_tractor_trailer_empty_low_resources.launch

This should open Gazebo simulator and you should see the articulated tractor-trailer model within this environment.

Now, in order to start the NMPC controller, in the second terminal, run:

source /opt/ros/noetic/setup.bash
source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash
roslaunch articulated_tractor_trailer_trajectory articulated_tractor_trajectory.launch

The articulated tractor-trailer model shown within Gazebo should start moving. You should see the vehicle following a typical seeding path. In this simulation example, the model embedded within the NMPC controller does not know that the trailer is towed to the articulated tractor-trailer system.

Controlling the trailer's xy-position

To run simulation example shown in Section 5.2, you should open two terminal windows. In the first terminal, run:

source /opt/ros/noetic/setup.bash
source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash
roslaunch articulated_tractor_trailer_gazebo articulated_tractor_trailer_empty_low_resources.launch

This should open Gazebo simulator and you should see the articulated tractor-trailer model within this environment.

Now, in order to start the NMPC controller, in the second terminal, run:

source /opt/ros/noetic/setup.bash
source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash
roslaunch articulated_tractor_trailer_trajectory articulated_tractor_trailer_trajectory.launch

The articulated tractor-trailer model shown within Gazebo should start moving. You should see the vehicle following a typical seeding path. In this simulation example, the model embedded within the NMPC controller does know that the trailer is towed to the articulated tractor-trailer system.