Online DE Optimization for Fuzzy-PID Controller of Semi-Active Suspension System Featuring MR Damper

Abstract

In pursue of a comfortable vehicle driving in different road profiles, intelligent methods used to improve the suspension system of the vehicle. Semi-active suspension system outperformed other suspension systems because it contains an intelligent actuator that can give the appropriate force to dissipate unwanted vibration using intelligent and real-time controllers. Here in this paper MR fluid damper with Fuzzy-PID controller examined to optimized using modified DE algorithm. However, in the Fuzzy-PID controller, the fuzzy logic algorithm is used to autotune the PID controller, but it cannot be considered as a fully real-time controller since the fuzzy algorithm uses a previous knowledge base built offline. The offline design of Fuzzy algorithm cannot cope with real-time unexpected vibrations occurred while driving car in different road profiles. In this paper, a Fuzzy-DE-PID controller proposed based on modified DE algorithm to enhance the Fuzzy logic gains in order to increase vehicle semi-active suspension system performance. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed controllers, a simulation and experimental tests were conducted using the proposed controller with different disturbances. The results of the simulation and the experimental tests for the proposed controller showed improvement of the vehicle’s ride comfort over the Fuzzy-PID and the passive system. We believe that using this proposed controller in any other real-time application will improve the performance to the highest levels without the need for a previous knowledge base for designing a real-time Fuzzy-PID controller.