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The steering axis is angled such that a line drawn through it intersects the road surface slightly ahead of the center of the contact patch of the tire on the pavement by a distance called trail. The purpose of this is to provide a degree of self-centering for the steering—the wheel casters around in order to trail behind the axis of steering.
In motorsport, the racing line or simply "the line" is the optimal path around a race course. [1] In most cases, the line makes use of the entire width of the track to lengthen the radius of a turn: entering at the outside edge, touching the "apex"—a point on the inside edge—then exiting the turn by returning outside.
The Ackermann Steer Angle is the steer angle at which the vehicle would travel about a curve when there is no lateral acceleration required (at negligibly low speed). The Understeer Gradient (U) is the rate of change of the understeer angle with respect to lateral acceleration on a level road for a given steady state operating condition.
The steering pivot points [clarification needed] are joined by a rigid bar called the tie rod, which can also be part of the steering mechanism, in the form of a rack and pinion for instance. With perfect Ackermann, at any angle of steering, the centre point of all of the circles traced by all wheels will lie at a common point.
The magnitude of this velocity is also known as the "rated speed" (or "balancing speed" for railroads) of a turn or curve. [2] Notice that the rated speed of the curve is the same for all massive objects, and a curve that is not inclined will have a rated speed of 0.
It can also be used, in the other direction, to reduce the turning radius. Some cars will do one or the other, depending on the speed. Steering geometry changes due to bumps in the road may cause the front wheels to steer in different directions together or independent of each other. The steering linkage should be designed to minimize this effect.
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Curve with superelevation of tracks on the Keystone Corridor near Rosemont, Pennsylvania. Curvature refers to the amount by which a curve deviates from being a straight line. In the context of railway tracks, it is the measure of how much the track deviates from a straight path. It is essential in designing safe and efficient rail systems.