Active Suspension Control of Eight Degrees of Freedom Vehicle Model

Abstract

In this study, the dynamic behavior of eight degrees of freedom vehicle model having active suspensions and a PID controlled passenger seat is examined. The suspensions considered are Mc Pherson strut type of independent suspensions. Three cases of control strategies are taken into account. First, only the passenger seat is controlled. Second, only the vehicle body is controlled. Third, both the vehicle body and the passenger seat are controlled at the same time. PID controller is applied as a conventional method. Since this control method can be applied easily and is widely well known, it has an important place in control applications. The time and frequency responses of the vehicle model due to road disturbance are obtained for each control strategy. At the end of the study, performances of these strategies have been compared and discussed.