Passive Suspension Research Articles

Active and Semiactive Suspension Systems for Minimizing Tire Wear in Articulated Vehicles

ABSTRACT Electric and hybrid propulsion systems for articulated vehicles have been gaining increased attention, with the aim to decrease exhaust particle emissions. However, the more environmentally-friendly electric or hybrid articulated vehicles are expected to have increased nonexhaust pollution-related sources because of their significantly increased mass compared with conventional vehicles. One of the main sources of nonexhaust pollution is tire wear, which could potentially cancel the benefits of removing the exhaust through electrification. Tire wear is mainly affected by internal (tire structure and shape) and external (suspension configuration, speed, road surface, etc.) factors. This work focuses on suspension systems and, more specifically, on the ability of active and semiactive suspensions to decrease tire wear in an articulated vehicle. In this direction, an articulated vehicle model that incorporates the tread in its modeling is built to study tire wear during cornering over a class C road. A novel active suspension design based on the H approach is suggested in this work and is compared with passive, semiactive, and other active suspension systems. The suspension systems are also compared mainly with regard to tire wear levels but also with other vehicle performance aspects (i.e., comfort and road holding). The H∞ active suspension design is the most effective in decreasing tire wear, with decreases of about 8% to 11%, but without neglecting the rest of the objectives.

A comparison study of passive, active, and semi-active suspension systems

A comparison study of passive, active, and semi-active suspension systems

Restructuring a passive colloidal suspension using a rotationally driven particle.

The interaction between passive and active/driven particles has introduced a new way to control colloidal suspension properties from particle aggregation to crystallization. Here, we focus on the hydrodynamic interaction between a single rotational driven particle and a suspension of passive particles near the floor. Using experiments and Stokesian dynamics simulations that account for near-field lubrication, we demonstrate that the flow induced by the driven particle can induce long-ranged rearrangement in a passive suspension. We observe an accumulation of passive particles in front of the driven particle and a depletion of passive particles behind the driven particle. This restructuring generates a pattern that can span a range more than 10 times the driven particles radius. We further show that size scale of the pattern is only a function of the particles height above the floor.

Matematičko modelovanje i simulacija sistema za oslanjanje vozila u poprečnoj ravni

Introduction/purpose: The study of vehicle suspension is a challenge for researchers in the field of vehicles regarding the impact of the suspension system on vehicle performances such as ride comfort, road holding, and working space. This paper presents the simulation of the Land Rover Defender 110 vehicle in the roll plane (half vehicle) in Simulink/MATLAB. The obtained results were compared with the results obtained in the ADAMS/CAR software package of the Land Rover Defender 110 simulation model previously experimentally validated. The Defender 110 vehicle has a dependent suspension system in both axles and a passive suspension type with four degrees of freedom (4 DOF). Methods: The equations of the system can be solved mathematically with a scheme in Simulink/MATLAB while half-vehicle modeling has been done in ADAMS/CAR. Results: The comparison of the vehicle characteristics obtained by the two simulation methods was done for three different scenarios, and it was noticed that there is a good correlation between them. Conclusion: It was concluded that the Defender 110 vehicle simulation model in Simulink/MATLAB is validated. The validated model can be used to perform suspension system optimization in future work.

喷杆喷雾机双摆悬架动力学特性研究

During the operation of a boom sprayer, various excitations can cause the boom to roll, yaw, or jolt, which can negatively impact the spray effect. In order to maintain the stability of the boom, it is crucial to incorporate a suspension between the vehicle body and the boom. This study established a dynamic model that describes the roll of a boom mounted on a double-pendulum suspension. The transfer function and frequency response function of the passive suspension were obtained, with the ground slope angle as input and the boom inclination angle as output. The analysis results showed that the passive suspension can partially isolate high-frequency disturbances but cannot follow low-frequency signals. For the active suspension, the transient and frequency responses were analyzed by numerical integration algorithm, the harmonic balance method and numerical solution. The results indicated that the active suspension can enable the boom to follow the ground slope, track low-frequency signals to a certain extent, and isolate high-frequency signals. The proposed mathematical model can be utilized to analyze the dynamic characteristics and provide guidance for the double-pendulum suspension design.

Analysis of damping multi-mode switching control of semi-active suspension based on digital controlled hydraulic cylinders group

In order to improve the ride comfort of vehicle suspension, this article proposes a damping multi-mode semi-active suspension system and its control method. The semi-active suspension takes a hydraulic electromagnetic shock absorber based on a digital controlled hydraulic cylinders group as the core, and realizes the switching of multiple damping modes by controlling the on-off statuses of three groups of switch solenoid valves, thus making the semi-active suspension have the characteristics of damping multi-mode adjustable. The damping characteristics corresponding to the single damping mode are verified through the prototype bench test of the shock absorber principle. On this basis, the semi-active suspension model of the vehicle is established, and a multi-mode switching control strategy of suspension damping using fuzzy control is designed. The filtered Gaussian white noise is used as the random road excitation for simulation. The simulation results show that compared with the traditional passive suspension and the semi-active suspension based on skyhook control, the damping multi-mode semi-active suspension based on the digital controlled hydraulic cylinders group can realize the switching of multiple damping modes, have good damping performance, and help to improve the vehicle ride comfortable capability.

Topology Optimization Design and Dynamic Performance Analysis of Inerter-Spring-Damper Suspension Based on Power-Driven-Damper Control Strategy

In this paper, the problem of broadband vibration suppression of power-driven-damper vehicle “inerter-spring-damper” (ISD) suspension is studied. The suspension can effectively inherit the low-frequency vibration suppression effect of ISD suspension and the high-frequency vibration suppression effect of the power-driven-damper control strategy. Based on the structural method, this paper proposes four suspensions with different structures. The optimal structure and parameters are obtained by using pigeon-inspired optimization. The results show that, based on the optimal structure, the Root-Mean-Square (RMS) of body acceleration and the RMS of suspension working space are reduced by 23.1% and 6.6%, respectively, compared to the traditional passive suspension. The influence of the damping coefficient on the dynamic performance of the power-driven-damper vehicle ISD suspension is further studied. The vibration suppression characteristics of the proposed suspension are simulated and analyzed in both the time domain and frequency domain. It is shown that the power-driven-damper vehicle ISD suspension can effectively reduce vibrations across a wide frequency range and significantly improve body acceleration and suspension working space, thereby enhancing the ride comfort.

A new energy-feeding variable damping control strategy for electromagnetic hybrid suspension systems

Traditional energy-feeding suspensions exhibit a non-adjustable damping characteristic during energy recovery, which can compromise the dynamic performance of the suspension system. To overcome this issue, this paper proposes an energy-feeding variable damping control strategy (EFVD) predicated on an electromagnetic hybrid suspension system. This strategy aims to achieve adjustable damping during energy recovery, reducing energy losses while ensuring optimal suspension performance. Building on a half-vehicle suspension model, we construct a dynamic model of the electromagnetic hybrid suspension. By leveraging an enhanced hybrid-skyhook and ground-hook control algorithm (HSGH), we solve for the target control force. We then design a force distribution controller based on the EFVD strategy, aiming to optimize suspension dynamic performance and energy feeding efficiency. And we conduct a simulation study, measuring power supply efficiency and suspension dynamic performance as key evaluation metrics. The results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed EFVD strategy over conventional passive and active suspension control strategies, highlighting its effectiveness and reliability in maintaining dynamic performance while enhancing energy efficiency. This underscores the potential of the EFVD strategy as a practical solution for future suspension system design and energy management.

Design and verification of low-friction and high-performance monotube magnetorheological damper

The frictional force of the suspension damper is an essential factor affecting vehicle ride comfort. As an important basic component of intelligent suspension, magnetorheological (MR) damper has the advantages of simple structure and adjustable damping performance. However, the frictional force of the MR damper is excessively high, due to the high-pressure gas to avoid the cavitation effect. If the frictional force of MR damper can be reduced, the vibration isolation performance of the intelligent suspension based on the MR damper will be further improved. In this study, a monotube MR damper with low friction and high performance is proposed and investigated. Firstly, the structural design of the low-friction MR damper is carried out, and the mathematical model of its controllable damping force and uncontrollable damping force is established. Secondly, the key structural parameters of the MR piston are optimized, and the valve system is matched based on the optimized mechanical characteristics of the piston to avoid the cavitation effect. Thirdly, bench tests are carried out on the developed low-friction MR damper. The experimental results show that the frictional force of the MR damper is very low, and no cavitation effect occurs. Finally, the system performance simulation analysis is carried out on the 1/4 vehicle semi-active suspension using the MR damper, and the influence of frictional force on the performance evaluation indexes of passive and semi-active suspensions is investigated. The simulation results indicate that the influence of frictional force on semi-active suspension is higher than that of passive suspension, and reducing the frictional force of the MR damper is of great significance to improve the performance of the semi-active suspension.

Research on the Multimode Switching Control of Intelligent Suspension Based on Binocular Distance Recognition

As the upgrade of people’s requirements for automotive driving comfort, conventional passive suspensions for cars have fallen short of existing demands due to their nonadjustable damping and stiffness, so semiactive suspensions and active suspensions have gained growing acceptance. Compared with active suspensions, semiactive suspensions offer the advantages of a low manufacturing cost and reliable structure, and thus have become the preferred choice for most vehicles. To optimize the control effect of semiactive suspensions under different working conditions, this paper completed the modeling of magnetorheological semiactive suspension system dynamics and road inputs; then, the design of binocular camera sensing algorithms was performed to obtain the real-time distance of the target using the point cloud ranging function, and the parameters required for suspension control were also obtained. This was followed by the completion of the control-mode-switching rules and the design of the suspension controller. According to the different control objectives, the mode could be divided into the obstacle-road mode, straight-road mode, and curved-road mode. The suspension controller included the BP-PID (neural network PID controller) controller and the force distributor. Finally, the effectiveness of the mode-switching rules and the control method was verified through system simulation and the hardware-in-the-loop test.

Layout Optimization and Performance Analysis of Vehicle Suspension System Using an Electromagnetic Inerter

The inerter is a vibration isolation device used to replace the mass element in classical vibration isolation theory. The introduction of an inerter into a vehicle suspension system can greatly improve the performance of the system. An electromagnetic inerter is a kind of device that can realize a complex suspension structure without an additional energy supply and a complicated control system. It not only utilizes hydraulic systems to attain various suspension mechanical structures but also incorporates linear generators to form more intricate electrical networks. In this paper, an approach is proposed to achieve an optimized vehicle suspension layout using an electromagnetic inerter, which promotes the practical application of the device. First, seven suspension layouts are presented based on this device and relevant models are established to optimize the performance of these seven layouts under certain objectives. Then, the influence of three factors of the electrical network, namely linear generator internal resistance, inductance, and linear generator coefficient, on suspension performance is analyzed. At the same time, to ensure the suspension performance of this device is closer to that required for actual engineering applications, the improvement in the vibration isolation performance of the device compared with traditional passive suspension is discussed considering these three factors. The final results show that when considering the real-world situation, the L1 and L4 layouts can achieve excellent performance improvement, with RMS(BA) values of only 85.73% and 84.66% of the traditional passive suspension.

Development of Boom Posture Adjustment and Control System for Wide Spray Boom

To obtain a more consistent droplet distribution and reduce spray drift, it is necessary to keep the entire spray boom parallel to the crop canopy or ground and maintain a certain distance from the spray nozzles to the crop canopy or ground. A high-performance boom active control system was developed for boom trapezoid suspension. The hydraulic system and hardware circuit of the boom control system were designed based on analyzing the configuration of active trapezoid suspension. The mathematical models of valve-controlled hydraulic cylinders and active boom suspensions were developed. Step response and frequency domain response analysis of passive suspension were conducted by Simulink simulations, and then key parameters of the boom suspension and hydraulic system were determined. A feedforward proportion integration differentiation (FPID) control algorithm was proposed to improve the tracking performance. The designed control system was assembled on a 24 m boom with trapezoid suspension. The response characteristic of the active boom control system was tested by the step signal and the sinusoidal signal from a six-degree-of-freedom hydraulic motion platform. Firstly, the tracking performance of the active balance control system for the PID (proportion integration differentiation) and FPID control algorithms was compared for a given 0.2 Hz sine signal. Then, for the ground-following control system, the response characteristics in challenging terrain and tracking performance in less challenging terrain were tested. Field experiment results indicate that the maximum rolling angle of the chassis was 3.896° while the maximum inclination angle of the boom was 0.453°. The results show that the designed boom adjustment and control system can effectively adjust the boom motion in real time and meet the requirements of field operation.

Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Control of Active Vehicle Suspension Based on H2 and H∞ Synthesis

This paper addresses the issue of a road-type-adaptive control strategy aimed at enhancing suspension performance. H2 synthesis is employed for modeling road irregularities as impulses or white noise, minimizing the root mean square (RMS) of performance outputs for these specific road types. It should be noted, however, that this approach may lead to suboptimal performance when applied to other road profiles. In contrast, the H∞ controller is employed to minimize the RMS of performance outputs under worst-case road irregularities, taking a conservative stance that ensures robustness across all road profiles. To leverage the advantages of both controllers and achieve overall improved suspension performance, automatic switching between these controllers is recommended based on the identified road type. To implement this adaptive switching mechanism, manual switching is performed, gathering input–output data from the controllers. These data are subsequently employed for training an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) network. This elegant approach contributes significantly to the optimization of suspension performance. The simulation results employing this novel ANFIS-based controller demonstrate substantial performance enhancements compared to both the H2 and H∞ controllers. Notably, the ANFIS-based controller exhibits a remarkable 62% improvement in vehicle body comfort and a significant 57% enhancement in ride safety compared to passive suspension, highlighting its potential for superior suspension performance across diverse road conditions.

Reconstructing the feeding ecology of Cambrian sponge reefs: the case for active suspension feeding in Archaeocyatha.

Sponge-grade Archaeocyatha were early Cambrian biomineralizing metazoans that constructed reefs globally. Despite decades of research, many facets of archaeocyath palaeobiology remain unclear, making it difficult to reconstruct the palaeoecology of Cambrian reef ecosystems. Of specific interest is how these organisms fed; previous experimental studies have suggested that archaeocyaths functioned as passive suspension feeders relying on ambient currents to transport nutrient-rich water into their central cavities. Here, we test this hypothesis using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of digital models of select archaeocyath species. Our results demonstrate that, given a range of plausible current velocities, there was very little fluid circulation through the skeleton, suggesting obligate passive suspension feeding was unlikely. Comparing our simulation data with exhalent velocities collected from extant sponges, we infer an active suspension feeding lifestyle for archaeocyaths. The combination of active suspension feeding and biomineralization in Archaeocyatha may have facilitated the creation of modern metazoan reef ecosystems.

Topological Optimization of Vehicle ISD Suspension under Steering Braking Condition

Anti-roll and anti-pitch are important directions in the comprehensive research of automobiles. In order to improve the anti-roll and anti-pitch performance of the vehicle, an inerter was applied to the vehicle suspension system, and a 14 DOF vehicle nonlinear dynamics model was established. The influence of the change in inertance in the eight kinds of improved ISD (Inerter-Spring-Damper) suspension structures on the RMS (root mean square) value of performance indexes of roll, vertical, and pitch motion of the vehicle was studied. Based on this, the vehicle’s ISD structure with better performance was selected, and the NSGA-Ⅱ algorithm was adopted to optimize the selected structural parameters. The simulation results showed that the four kinds of suspension hadbetter comprehensive performance, and their structureswere, respectively, excluding the supporting spring in parallel, (1) an inerter in series with a spring and a damper in parallel, (2) a damper in series with a spring and an inerter in parallel, (3) an inerter and a damper in series, and (4) the damper in parallel with a spring and an inerter in series. The ISD suspension structure had better comprehensive performance under step steering braking, which was obviously better than the passive suspension, and effectively improved the vehicle ride comfort, anti-roll and anti-pitch performance. Under the hook steering braking, the lateral load transfer rate was used to evaluate the vehicle’s anti-rollover ability. The results showed that the ride comfort and anti-rollover ability of ISD suspension were better than those of passive suspension. Under the condition of taking into account the anti-pitching ability, the suspension consists of a supporting spring in parallel with an inerter, and a damper in series was better.

Bio‐inspired structure constraints following control for enhancing hunting stability of high‐speed trains

AbstractHigh‐speed trains (HSTs) often face challenges associated with car‐body hunting, resulting from factors such as complex operating environments and wheel‐rail contact degradation. These issues have a significant impact on the ride quality and operational safety. Passive suspension systems are inadequate to provide satisfactory dynamic performance for HSTs in such circumstances. However, active suspension systems can provide an effective solution. To address the car‐body hunting stability of HSTs, this study proposes a novel control approach called displacement inequality constraint following control (ICFC‐BIS) for the active suspension of HSTs. The ICFC‐BIS leverages the beneficial nonlinearity of bio‐inspired structures (BIS) to indirectly achieve excellent dynamic characteristics of the BIS through actuators installed in the suspension of HSTs, eliminating the need for actual BIS installation. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that the proposed ICFC‐BIS can effectively suppress car‐body hunting motion, thereby enhancing the ride comfort of HSTs. Consequently, the operational safety and ride comfort indices of HSTs equipped with active suspension systems are significantly improved.

Nonlinear dynamic modeling and analysis of magnetorheological semi-active suspension for tracked vehicles

The magnetorheological technology has been widely used in automotive applications, whereas less research has been done on tracked vehicles. Hence, this research focuses on the dynamic modeling of the whole system of a tracked vehicle, for analyzing the effect of magnetorheological semi-active suspension on track tension and chassis vibration during driving. Applying the multibody system transfer matrix method and a dynamic recursive method, the dynamic models of the chassis subsystem and the double track subsystems are developed, respectively. These three subsystems are coupled by nonlinear contact forces, where the meshing shock, polygon effect, and rolling effect during contact are also taken into consideration. Subsequently, the normalized Bouc-Wen model is adopted to describe the nonlinear characteristics of rotary magnetorheological dampers. Then, a semi-active suspension control of the tracked vehicle is implemented with rotary magnetorheological dampers and the independent skyhook control method. Finally, numerical simulations are performed under different operating conditions. Comparing with the case of passive suspension, it reveals that, the magnetorheological semi-active suspension not only improves the distribution of the track tension but also effectively reduces the chassis vibration. It provides a theoretical basis for the design and application of magnetorheological semi-active suspensions for tracked vehicles.

Fuzzy logic control of active suspension system equipped with a hydraulic actuator

In this paper, the Active Suspension System (ASS) of road vehicles was investigated. In addition to the conventional stiffness and damper, the proposed ASS includes a fuzzy controller, a hydraulic actuator, and an LVDT position sensor. Furthermore, this paper presents a nonlinear model describing the operation of the hydraulic actuator as a part of the suspension system. Additionally, the detailed steps of the fuzzy controller design for such a system are introduced. A MATLAB/Simulink model was constructed to study the proposed ASS at different profiles of road irregularities. The results have shown that the proposed ASS has superior performance compared to the conventional Passive Suspension System (PSS), where the body displacement can be minimized to about 70.1 % and the settling time is reduced to about 48.4 %. Also, the results have shown that the actuator force can reach 68 % of the body weight under the worst studied road conditions.

Ride comfort analysis of vehicle seat suspension systems: A co-simulation study

In this study, the vehicle seat suspension system installed with a semi-active magnetorheological (MR) damper is excited by the power spectral density (PSD) and its vibration control performance is evaluated using finite element analysis (FEA). The control system receives the velocity of the sprung and unsprung mass from the seat mounting locations and calculates the desired controllable damping forces available from MR damper. The effectiveness of the control systems is demonstrated by adopting ride quality evaluation method. To predict a better ride comfort and ride quality, co-simulation methodology is utilized considering the dynamic behavior of the real-world seat system. In this case, the multi-body dynamics and control system are coupled by solving the mechanical equations and the control logic. Then, the computed damping force is exchanged between the dynamics and controller in an iterative manner by passing state variables. The simulation results achieved from co-simulation methodology associated with the controller are analyzed by comparing with ISO 2631-1. The co-simulation results studied using vibration dose value (VDV), crest factor (CF) and seat effective amplitude transmissibility (SEAT) in terms of percentage improvement were found to be 44.33%, 26.66% and 17.65% respectively which were better than that for the passive suspension for a random rough road profile. Modified skyhook controller delivers superior performance for vibration suppression of the vehicle seat suspension as compared to other control policies. The application of co-simulation methodology can reduce time and cost for the development of a semi-active seat suspension system.

The tyre blow-out vehicle lateral pulling control using an active suspension system with comfort-lateral trajectory based control scheme.

When a tyre blows out, the vehicle’s trajectory deviates from the intended path, resulting in an accident and death. Because of its larger contact patch, applying more steering force to the flat tyre will cause the tyre to separate from the wheel. Also, improper braking effort causes rollover related issues due to the sudden vehicle’s centre of gravity (C.G.) displacement and weight transfer towards the blow-out tyre. Therefore, this research attempts to return the C.G. to its initial position through the suspension control. The force supplied between the sprung and unsprung masses of the flat tyre through suspension actuator is estimated and controlled by the model predictive control (MPC) scheme with respect to its input signals. For the non-linear simulation, the four-wheel passenger car vehicle dynamic model and the combined empirical model for the tyre inflation pressure effect are used. And the equivalent plant model is identified through a simple system identification method for the MPC design. The passive and active based suspension of standalone, roll-resistant interconnected and pitch-resistant interconnected systems, including the proposed comfort-lateral trajectory controlled standalone active suspension, were examined. To assess the effectiveness of each suspension and its control strategy in a tyre blow-out scenario, a vehicle was analysed with various longitudinal velocities along with and without steer input.