Valve control of a hydraulically interconnected suspension system to improve vehicle handling qualities

Abstract

This paper deals with the control of a hydraulically interconnected suspension system to improve the handling performance of the vehicle. A seven-degrees-of-freedom MATLAB/Simulink vehicle model and an Adams/Car model are used for simulation purposes. A Simscape model for analysing the hydraulic subsystem is also employed. It was observed that the yaw rate and roll responses of the vehicle are influenced to a large extent by the flow control valve opening values. The handling performance of the vehicle was investigated by the control of the orifice valves and their adjustment according to the lateral acceleration inputs. Considerable improvements were obtained in the handling qualities without sacrificing the ride responses, compared to the responses of a passive interconnected suspension.