A Multiple-Model Approach to Payload Compensation via Active Suspension Control

Abstract

This paper presents an active suspension controller to compensate for vehicle payload changes and proposes a strategy to develop robustness to such changes. The aim of such a controller is to establish safe and consistent vehicle performance over a wide range of payloads. Such payload variations are common in heavy machinery and design is geared toward this application. However, similar effects occur to a lesser degree in passenger vehicles, especially light trucks. A half vehicle model is developed, and loading is simulated by increasing the mass and moving the center of gravity accordingly. A multiple-model approach is used in which models and controllers are developed for various points in the payload range and then blended into a single global controller. The multiple-model controller provides nearly constant vehicle performance and demonstrates significantly lower actuator demand across the range of pay loads than a controller designed around a nominal payload.