Investigation into Improvement for Anti-Rollover Propensity of SUV

Abstract

Currently, many research from domestic and foreign on improving anti-rollover performance of vehicle mainly focus on the electronic control of auxiliary equipment, do not make full use of suspension layout to optimize anti-rollover performance of vehicle. This investigation into anti-rollover propensity improvement concentrates on the vehicle parameters greatly influencing on anti-rollover propensity of vehicle. A simulation based on fishhook procedure is used to perform design trials and evaluations aimed at ensuring an optimal balance between vehicle’s design parameters and various engineering capacities, the anti-rollover propensity is optimized at the detailed design stage of a new SUV model. Firstly a four-DOF theoretical kinematic model is established, then a complete multi-body dynamics model built in ADAMS/car based on the whole vehicle parameters is correlated to the objective handing and stability test results of a mule car. Secondly, in fishhook test simulations, the Design of Experiments method is used to quantify the effect of the vehicle parameters on the anti-rollover performance. By means of the simulation, the roll center height of front suspension should be more than 30 mm, that of rear suspension less than 150 mm, and the HCG less than 620 mm for the SUV. The ratio of front to rear suspension roll stiffness should be ranged from 1.4 to 1.6 for the SUV. As a result, at the detailed design stage of product, the anti-rollover performance of vehicle can be improved by optimizing chassis and integrated vehicle parameters.