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DESIGN OF AN ACTIVE SUSPENSION FOR A PASSENGER

VEHICLE MODEL USING INPUT PROCESSES WITH TIME
DELAYS
a a a
F. Frühauf , R. Kasper & J. Lückel
a
Department of Automatic Control in Mechanical Engineering , University of Paderborn ,
Paderborn, FRG
Published online: 27 Jul 2007.

To cite this article: F. Frühauf , R. Kasper & J. Lückel (1986) DESIGN OF AN ACTIVE SUSPENSION FOR A PASSENGER VEHICLE
MODEL USING INPUT PROCESSES WITH TIME DELAYS, Vehicle System Dynamics: International Journal of Vehicle Mechanics and
Mobility, 15:sup1, 126-138, DOI: 10.1080/00423118608969131

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00423118608969131

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 DESIGN OF AN ACTIVE SUSPENSION
FOR A PASSENGER VEHICLE MODEL
USING INPUT PROCESSES WITH TIME DELAYS

F. Friihauf, R. Kasper and J. Liickel

Downloaded by [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign] at 07:17 17 March 2015

Department of Automatic Control in Mechanical Engineering,

University of Paderborn, Paderborn, FRG.

SUMMARY
In v e h i c l e s with t r a d i t i o n a l p a s s i v e suspension, t h e s p r i n g and
damping elements between c a r body and a x l e s have a f i x e d c h a r a c t e r i -
s t i c . 'his means t h a t when t h e suspension is a d j u s t e d , a compromise
between comfort and s a f e t y h a s t o be a r r i v e d a t . With a c t i v e suspen-
s i o n , on t h e o t h e r hand, both t h e s e c r i t e r i a can be enhanced a t t h e
same time. b r e o v e r , f u r t h e r improvements i n d r i v i n g behaviour can
be made which a r e n o t p o s s i b l e with p a s s i v e suspension. In t h i s
c a s e , t h e time d e l a y between f r o n t and r e a r a x l e e x c i t a t i o n is
represented by a Padk approximation, which means t h a t l i n e a r con-
t r o l l e r design methods i n t h e s t a t e space ( R i c c a t i c o n t r o l l e r ,
Kalman f i l t e r ) can be used t o implement a c t i v e v e h i c l e suspension. A
s p a t i a l model o f a medium-range passenger v e h i c l e is augmented by a
d i s t u r b a n c e model ( s t o c h a s t i c d u a l t r a c k e x c i t a t i o n o f t h e road s u r -
f a c e w i t h e x c i t a t i o n d e l a y time, i f need be w i t h i r r e g u l a r i t y sen-
s o r s ) , a perception f i l t e r (weighting o f human s e n s i t i v i t y t o v i b r a -
t i o n ) and a f i l t e r f o r t h e dynamics o f t h e a c t u a t o r s .
, 1 INTRODUCTION
Recently, a t t e n t i o n h a s i n c r e a s i n g l y focused on f i n d i n g ways t o
r e p l a c e t h e p a s s i v e s p r i n g i n g and damping elements o f a v e h i c l e ,
w i t h t h e i r f i x e d c h a r a c t e r i s t i c c u r v e s , by more f l e x i b l e systems
u s i n g a c t i v e o r semi-active a c t u a t o r s [1,2/. 'Ihe main reason f o r
t h i s is t h a t w i t h modern high-performance computers, new concepts o f
c o n t r o l can be developed and implemented w i t h t h e h e l p o f f a s t
microprocessor components B1.
'his paper p r e s e n t s a number o f s t a t e c o n t r o l l e r s aimed a t a c h i e -
ving a c t i v e v e h i c l e suspension and geared t o
a ) t h e s t r u c t u r e and dynamics o f a s p a t i a l v e h i c l e model w i t h a c t i v e
actuators,
b ) s p a t i a l road s u r f a c e e x c i t a t i o n with c o r r e l a t e d p a r a l l e l wheel
 t r a c k s and time d e l a y between f r o n t and r e a r a x l e e x c i t a t i o n ,
c ) t h e s e n s i t i v i t y o f c a r passengers t o c a r body a c c e l e r a t i o n i n
c e r t a i n frequency ranges, and
d ) s p e c i a l requirements such a s adherence t o guidance c o n d i t i o n s and
limitations.
To d a t e , n e i t h e r s p a t i a l v e h i c l e models with t h e i r combination o f
t h r e e degrees o f freedom i n t h e c a r body ( r o l l , p i t c h and v e r t i c a l
movements) nor t h e time d e l a y between f r o n t and r e a r a x l e have been
considered i n a c t i v e s p r i n g s y n t h e s i s . Such a n approach and t h e
improvements i t b r i n g s w i l l be more c l o s e l y examined h e r e fly.
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1.1 C r i t e r i a f o r t h e e v a l u a t i o n o f a n a l y s i s and s y n t h e s i s
o f a c t i v e v e h i c l e suspension
'he two most important c r i t e r i a both f o r a n a l y s i s o f p a s s i v e
suspension and f o r t h e design o f an a c t i v e suspension c o n t r o l l e r a r e
r i d e comfort and s a f e t y . Comfort can be expressed by t h e a c c e l e r a -
t i o n f e l t by t h e c a r passengers; s a f e t y is r e p r e s e n t e d by dynamic
t y r e l o a d , which is a measure o f t h e road-holding property o f t h e
tyre.
Fig. 1 shows t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e s e two o p t i m i z a t i o n
c r i t e r i a i n a v e h i c l e with p a s s i v e suspension. ' h e curves were
a r r i v e d a t by c a l c u l a t i n g t h e v a r i a n c e s o f t h e two o p t i m i z a t i o n
c l u a n t i t i e s f o r a v a r i e t y o f d i f f e r e n t suspension adjustments,
p l o t t i n g them i n r e l a t i o n s h i p t o one a n o t h e r . The o u t l i n i n g curve is
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e v e h i c l e and environment assumed f o r t h i s
a n a l y s i s and v a l u e s cannot drop below it.

XIVLPP. W

Fig. 1 : Variances o f weighted passenger a c c e l e r a t i o n

dependent on dynamic t y r e load f o r v a r i o u s suspension
adjustments.
An improvement i n t h e v a l u e s o f t h i s curve can o n l y be achieved
by more i n t r i c a t e , and expensive, suspension c o n s t r u c t i o n o r by a
 suspension system which is a d j u s t a b l e t o local conditions, i.e.
active.

1 - 2 Active s u s p e n s i o n
Apart from a n a l l - r o u n d improvement i n comfort and s a f e t y , a major
a d v a n t a g e o f a c t i v e o r s e m i - a c t i v e s u s p e n s i o n c o n c e p t s is that s u c h
a system can be a d a p t e d t o a p a r t i c u l a r l o a d s i t u a t i o n . For example,
i n c r e a s e d d r i v i n g s a f e t y is r e q u i r e d d u r i n g b r a k i n g and c o r n e r i n g ,
i.e. when l o n g i t u d i n a l o r t r a n s v e r s e a c c e l e r a t i o n s o c c u r . As soon as
normal d r i v i n g is resumed, t h e system c a n be s w i t c h e d back t o
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g r e a t e r r i d e c o m f o r t , e i t h e r a u t o m a t i c a l l y o r manually. kbreover,
a c t i v e s u s p e n s i o n p r o v i d e s a means o f compensating f o r b r a k i n g and
c o r n e r i n g tilt i n t h e car body and even o f t u r n i n g t h e c h a s s i s i n
s u c h a way as t o minimise t h e c e n t r i f u g a l f o r c e s a c t i n g on t h e
p a s s e n g e r s . Such a l t e r n a t i v e s u s p e n s i o n s y s t e m s c a n a l s o be a d a p t e d
t o t h e n a t u r e o f t h e road s u r f a c e , t o v e l o c i t y and t o changes i n
parameter s u c h as t h o s e due t o v a r y i n g v e h i c l e l o a d , e s p e c i a l l y i n
commercial v e h i c l e s .
2. MODELLING

An a c t u a l v e h i c l e c o n t a i n s a whole range o f v i b r a t i o n e l e m e n t s and

components s u c h a s e n g i n e , g e a r b o x and d r i v e , e x h a u s t , etc., b u t
t h e s e c a n no more be i n c l u d e d i n t h e m o d e l l i n g f o r realistic con-
t r o l l e r d e s i g n t h a n c a n t h e d e f o r m a t i o n s o f t h e c a r body[5].However,
a s a l r e a d y s u g g e s t e d , s u c h a v e h i c l e d o e s n o t f l o a t i n a vaccuum.
?he system environment h a s t o be i n c l u d e d i n a n a l y s i s and s y n t h e s i s .

2.1 P h y s i c a l model o f t h e p a s s e n g e r v e h i c l e

I n t h e p h y s i c a l model o f a p a s s e n g e r v e h i c l e ( F i g . 2 1 , t h e car body

was reproduced by a r i g i d p l a t e w i t h c o n s t a n t mass d i s t r i b u t i o n and
t h e t h r e e d e g r e e s o f freedom v e r t i c a l , p i t c h and r o l l . ?he i n d i v i -
d u a l l y suspended wheels, which have t h e i r own w e i g h t , c a n o n l y move
v e r t i c a l l y and s u p p o r t t h e c a r body a g a i n s t t h e road s u r f a c e v i a
t h e i n t e r m i t t e n t a c t i v e o r p a s s i v e shock a b s o r b e r s and t h e wheel
s p r i n g s . ?he i n s t a l l a t i o n o f two s e n s o r s t o measure road s u r f a c e
i r r e g u l a r i t i e s is planned f o r later c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n .
I n s t e a d o f p a h s i v e s p r i n g i n g and damping e l e m e n t s between c a r
body and wheel mass, t h e a c t i v e s u s p e n s i o n s y s t e m h a s a h y d r a u l i c
c y l i n d e r which is s u p p l i e d w i t h p r e s s u r e o i l by a n e l e c t r i c a l l y
c o n t r o l l e d servo-valve.
Tne s e r v o - v a l v e , which d i r e c t s t h e o i l - f l o w i n t o one o f t h e two
c y l i n d e r chambers a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c o n t r o l s i g n a l , c a n be c l o s e l y
approximated by a time d e l a y d e v i c e o f second o r d e r ( F i g . 2 ) .
2.2 kbdel o f s p a t i a l road s u r f a c e d i s t u r b a n c e s

As i n d i c a t e d i n Fig. 2 , t h e d i s t u r b a n c e model i n c l u d e s t h e
f r e q u e n c y d e p e n d e n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f s u r f a c e i r r e g u l a r i t i e s and t h e
c o r r e l a t i o n between r i g h t and l e f t - h a n d wheel t r a c k i n c e r t a i n
f r e q u e n c y r a n g e s f?, 61. For t h e purposes o f c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n t h e s e
 s t o c h a s t i c d i s t u r b a n c e s i n both wheel t r a c k s are g e n e r a t e d s y n t h e t i -
c a l l y from t h r e e w h i t e n o i s e i n p u t s by means o f t h e e x c i t a t i o n
filter.
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guidance integrators

servo valves

aynamlc t i r e loads

q?kxE
Fdyn
--.I001

disturbance
f l l ters

Fig. 2 : P h y s i c a l model of a passenger vehicle and its system

environment

A s t h e wheels on t h e f r o n t and rear a x l e s v i r t u a l l y run i n t h e

same t r a c k s a l s o when t r a v e l l i n g i n c u r v e s o f l a r g e r a d i u s , t h e r e a r
wheels a r e g i v e n t h e same e x c i t a t i o n as t h e f r o n t wheels, postponed
by t h e t i m e d e l a y T . However, i n c l u s i o n o f t h i s time d e l a y TT i n
t h e d i s t u r b a n c e mods1 by means o f a t r a n s i t time element.

is n o t p o s s i b l e . & t e n d i n g t h e R i c c a t i c o n t r o l l e r a l g o r i t h m t o
systems w i t h t i m e d e l a y s l e a d s t o complex a p p r o x i m a t i o n s , which
would c o n s i d e r a b l y c o m p l i c a t e t h e l i n e a r s t a t e s p a c e p r o c e s s o f
a n a l y s i s and s y n t h e s i s 181.
 A s o l u t i o n h e r e is t o approximate t h i s effect by a l i n e a r t r a n s -
fer element. A Pad6 approximation o f f o u r t h o r d e r was used.
2.3 S t a t i c and dynamic o p t i m i z a t i o n c r i t e r i a f o r a vehicle with
a c t i v e suspension

-
Vehicle - comfort is determined by s u b j e c t i v e human s e n s i t i v i t y t o
v i b r a t i o n . VDI a i d e l i n e No. 2057 191 o f f e r s a means o f measuring
t h i s . According t o t h i s t h e human body is regarded a s a c o m p l i c a t e d ,
vibratile structure, consisting of a large quantity of separate
masses connected w i t h e a c h o t h e r e l a s t i c a l l y and having v a r y i n g
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degrees of s e n s i t i v i t y t o acceleration o f d i f f e r e n t frequencies.

T h i s s e n s i t i v i t y can be d e s c r i b e d by means o f a n e v a l u a t i o n o r
w e i g h t i n g f i l t e r w i t h a c c e l e r a t i o n x. a t t h e s e a t as i n p u t /4, 101.
lhe o u t p u t o f t h i s f i l t e r is t h u s t h e weighted ( o r p e r c e i v e d ) c a r
passenger a c c e l e r a t i o n x .
Ride s a f e t y , i.e. theip&vention o f sideways d r i f t when c o r n e r i n g
o r i n s i d e winds, and o f premature wheel l o c k i n g when b r a k i n g , is
determined by t h e dynamic t y r e l o a d . T h i s f o r c e , which is e x e r t e d on
t h e road s u r f a c e by t h e wheels, h a s t o remain as c o n s t a n t as
p o s s i b l e and be a l l b u t e q u a l a t f r o n t and rear a x l e , i f over- and
u n d e r s t e e r i n g are t o be avoided. lhe dynamic tyre l o a d is g i v e n as a
p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e s t a t i c f o r c e and is p r o p o r t i o n a l t o t h e s p r i n g
d e f l e c t i o n and s p r i n g c o n s t a n t of t h e t y r e I I I J .
Another i m p o r t a n t c r i t e r i o n f o r e v a l u a t i o n is t h e g u i d a n c e beha-
v i o u r o f t h e v e h i c l e , f o r example its behaviour d u r i n g low-frequency
road s u r f a c e v a r i a t i o n s ( h i l l and v a l l e y ). This d e s i r e d s i g n a l is
o v e r l a i d by t h e h i g h e r f r e q u e n c y d i s t u r b a n c e s i g n a l , and i n f l u e n c e s
t h e v e h i c l e system v i a t h e same i n p u t s (wheels). With t h e a c t i v e
shock a b s o r b e r , t h e c o n t r o l l e r h a s t o be designed i n s u c h a way t h a t
t h e car body n e v e r d e v i a t e s permanently from g u i d a n c e i n p u t . In
o t h e r words, t h e d i s t a n c e between c a r body and wheel s h o u l d v a r y
around t h e m i d - p o s i t i o n , a g o a l which can be a c h i e v e d by i n t r o d u c i n g
t h e i n t e g r a l f o r t h e shock a b s o r b e r movement a s a new o p t i m i z a t i o n
variable.
Che requirement which c a n o n l y be f u l f i l l e d by means o f a c t i v e
v e h i c l e s u s p e n s i o n is t h a t o f compensating c a r body p i t c h and r o l l
d u e t o l o n g i t u d i n a l and t r a n s v e r s e a c c e l e r a t i o n s . T n i s can a l s o be
achieved by i n t e g r a t i n g t h e a n g l e o f p i t c h and r o l l flI.

3. CONTROLLER DESIGN FOR A PASSENGER VEHICLE MODEL WITH EXCITATION

TIME DELAY
lhe method o f c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n is as f o l l o w s .
The R i c c a t i c o n t r o l l e r used h e r e i s d e s i g n e d w i t h t h e a i d o f t h e
r e l e v a n t output v a r i a b l e s y o f t h e state-controlled system, a l l o f
which r e p r e s e n t q u a n t i t i e s i m p o r t a n t t o a s o l u t i o n o f t h e e n g i -
n e e r i n g t a s k , as f o r m u l a t e d i n t h e model
 C
where A = A + B
C
K,

In a s t o c h a s t i c view o f t h e o p t i m i z a t i o n problem, t h e t a s k is
t h u s t o minimize t h e v a r i a n c e s o f t h e s e o b j e c t i v e v a r i a b l e s y by
v a r i o u s weightings (121. 'he c o s t f u n c t i o n a l f o r s t o c h a s t i c i n p u t
processes is t h u s :
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J = E ( y ' ( t ) G y ( t ) J = t r ( G Y) =3Min (4
where G = weighting m a t r i x ,

Y = covariance m a t r i x o f o u t p u t v e c t o r y ( t ) ,

'he covariance m a t r i x X o f t h e c o n t r o l l e d system s t a t e is given

by t h e s o l u t i o n o f t h e Lyapunov equation

where W is t h e i n t e n s i t y m a t r i x o f t h e inputs-'Ihe c o n t r o l l e r m a t r i x
K is included i n t h i s equation v i a t h e system m a t r i x A o f t h e
c o n t r o l l e d system.
By forming t h e g r a d i e n t o f J i n r e l a t i o n t o K (131

t h i s o p t i m i z a t i o n problem can be s o l v e d , i.e. by means o f the

p a r t i a l d e r i v a t i v e o f c o s t f u n c t i o n a l J from t h e elements o f the
c o n t r o l l e r m a t r i x K 141:

This r e s u l t s i n t h e h t r l x - R i c c a t i - E q u a t i o n

If t i m e d e l a y s occur i n t h e e x c i t a t i o n process, t h e i n t e n s i t y m a t r i x
Wof t h e i n p u t n o i s e on t h e right-hand s i d e o f t h e Lyapunov equation
is given o f f diagonal terms
 and t h e c o n t r o l l e r m a t r i x K c a n no l o n g e r be s t a t e d e x p l i c i t l y .
In o r d e r t o a v o i d a f a i r l y complicated i t e r a t i v e approximation
f o r t h i s problem, t h e time d e l a y was i n c l u d e d i n t h e d i s t u r b a n c e
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model by means o f a Fad6 approximation, so t h a t t h e l i n e a r s y n t h e s i s

a l g o r i t h m s s o far used c o u l d c o n t i n u e t o be a p p l i e d .
Fig. 3 shows t h e complete system d i v i d e d up i n t o its component
p a r t s . In t h i s c o n t r o l l e r c o n c e p t , t h e e n t i r e system s t a t e is fed
back v i a a c o n t r o l l e r g a i n s m a t r i x , which can be d i v i d e d u p a n a l o -
gously.
As t h e s t a t e s o f t h e n o n - c o n t r o l l a b l e b u t s t a b l e d i s t u r b a n c e
model are a l s o f e d back i n t o t h e c o n t r o l i n p u t , d i s t u r b a n c e r e j e c -
t i o n s feedforward r e s u l t s . T h i s means t h a t t h e system c a n react t o a
d i s t u r b a n c e b e f o r e i t is a b l e t o e x e r t its f u l l e f f e c t on t h e p l a n t
proper. The same h o l d s t r u e o f both t h e l i n e a r and s t a b l e time d e l a y
e l e m e n t s c o n t a i n e d i n t h e d i s t u r b a n c e model.

.w

-U

factors . -
G analysis o f cfeslgn
c a w t a t l o n o f the
RICCATI-control ler
<
-
results, correction of
the weiditlng factors
<
Fig. 3: Information and s i g n a l flow diagram f o r t h e s t a t e - c o n t r o l 1
system
 It can now be demonstrated t h a t t h e c o n t r o l l e r g a i n s o f t h e
remaining system c a n be computed and f i x e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f t h e non-
c o n t r o l l a b l e d i s t u r b a n c e model. 'Ihus t h e c o e f f i c i e n t s o f d i s t u r b a n c e
r e j e c t i o n feedforward c a n t h u s be a d j u s t e d t o v e l o c i t y and road
s u r f a c e s t r u c t u r e w h i l e t h e v e h i c l e is i n motion.
However, n o t a l l t h e state v a r i a b l e s n e c e s s a r y f o r t h i s are
measurable on t h e a c t u a l system, and t h e measurements are n o i s y . For
t h i s r e a s o n a Kalman f i l t e r is used. With t h e a i d o f t h e known p l a n t
i n p u t s and o f measurements, t h i s e s t i m a t e s t h e system s t a t e s and
f e e d s them back t o t h e p l a n t c o n t r o l i n p u t v i a t h e c o n t r o l l e r g a i n s
matrix.
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'Ihe Kalman f i l t e r c a n be formulated a s a d u a l c o n t r o l l e r problem

and computed by means o f t h e s o l u t i o n a l g o r i t h m s o f t h e R i c c a t i
c o n t r o l l e r . S i n c e t h e f i l t e r i t s e l f r e p r e s e n t s a dynamic system, t h e
r e s u l t s o f t h e state c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n u s u a l l y d e t e r i o r a t e .

4. PROBLEW OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Before t h e r e s u l t s o f v a r i o u s c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n s a r e d i s c u s s e d , a
few o f t h e problems involved i n s o f t w a r e e n g i n e e r i n g are worthy o f
mention.
In o r d e r t o s o l v e t h e l i n e a r o p t i m i z a t i o n and a n a l y s i s t a s k s f o r
t h e complex high-order v e h i c l e system, a modular program package
w i t h a l l a n a l y s i s and s y n t h e s i s programs based on a modal t r a n s f o r -
mation o f t h e system was developed fC/. It c o n s i s t s o f main program
modules c a p a b l e o f exchanging d a t a v i a d a t a f i l e i n t e r f a c e s .
Fig. 4 shows t h e l i n k i n g o f a n a l y s i s and s y n t h e s i s modules i n a
m u l t i p h a s e c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n p r o c e s s . Both t h e Riccati c o n t r o l l e r
and t h e Kalman f i l t e r c a n be d e s i g n e d , a n a l y s e d , and i f need be
modified s e p a r a t e l y . If t h e i n d i v i d u a l r e s u l t s a r e s a t i s f a c t o r y ,
c o n t r o l l e r , o b s e r v e r , and p l a n t a r e l i n k e d t o form a new s y s t e m ,
which i s used f o r a f i n a l a n a l y s i s .
Communication between t h e program modules and i n t e r a c t i v e running
o f t h e programs can a l s o be achieved a t command l e v e l by a s u p e r -
o r d i n a t e program, making i n t e r v e n t i o n on t h e p a r t o f t h e u s e r un-
n e c e s s a r y . 'Ihe e n g i n e e r .is t h u s r e l i e v e d o f t h i s t e d i o u s and ex-
t r e m e l y time-consuming t a s k .
5. RESULTS

A v a r i e t y o f c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n s was implemented and analyzed a c c o r -

d i n g t o t h i s concept. Both t h e v a r i a n c e s , o r more p r e c i s e l y t h e RK
v a l u e s , o f t h e p a s s i v e s u s p e n s i o n v e h i c l e model and t h e o p t i m i z a t i o n
r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e a c t i v e system i n f l u e n c e d t h e d e s i g n 141.
Fig. 5 shows t h e s t e p r e s p o n s e s o f t h e s t a t e - c o n t r o l l e d system i n
v a r i o u s o u t p u t q u a n t i t i e s o f t h e a c t i v e - s u s p e n s i o n v e h i c l e model,
s u c h as v e r t i c a l movement of t h e c a r body, dynamic t y r e l o a d and c a r
passenger a c c e l e r a t i o n , and compares them w i t h t h e r e s u l t s f o r t h e
p a s s i v e r e f e r e n c e model. For t h e purposes o f c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n i t
was assumed t h a t t h e two a x l e s were e x c i t a t e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f o n e
another.
 m systan ~ m r a t l o n
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iritensl tles
controller fllter

\ I I
error system
Y
correction I I T
-+--A arnlysls
al
m I
I
state &server

Fig. 4: C o n t r o l l e r design s t r a t e g y and communication between program

modules using s t a n d a r d f i l e i n t e r f a c e s
With t h i s d e s i g n , t h e RIG v a l u e s i n dynamic t y r e load can be
reduced by 8% and t h e weighted passenger a c c e l e r a t i o n s by approx.
50% compared with t h e p a s s i v e model.
I n t h e complete s t a t e - c o n t r o l l e d system r e p r e s e n t e d i n Fig. 6,
t h e time d e l a y between f r o n t and r e a r a x l e e x c i t a t i o n is included i n
t h e c o n t r o l l e r design. Tnis provides f u r t h e r c o n s i d e r a b l e improve-
ments on t h e previous model. While t h e dynamic tyre load d e c r e a s e s
by 15%, t h e weighted passenger a c c e l e r a t i o n d r o p s t o 1 / 4 o f t h e
r e f e r e n c e value o f t h e v e h i c l e with p a s s i v e suspension.
F i n a l l y , Fig. 7 shows t h e r e s u l t s o f an a n a l y s i s s e r i e s f o r t h e
models a l r e a d y s t u d i e d and f o r a new system i n which road s u r f a c e
i r r e g u l a r i t i e s a r e scanned. In t h i s model, a n o t h e r time d e l a y , t h a t
between t h e s e n s o r s and t h e f r o n t a x l e , h a s t o be reproduced and
included i n t h e design (curve 3).
 XA <CM> FOYNVL
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0 I
ZElT

FOYNHL <%>

0 1 2 3 0 I 2 3
ZElT <SEK> ZEIT <SEK>

Fig. 5: Step responses of t h e active-control passenger v e h i c l e

model, n o t including time lags i n e x c i t a t i o n , compared with
t h e passive-suspension passenger vehicle
Ebth f o r t h i s system (curve 3 i n Fig. 7 ) and f o r t h e model
s t u d i e d previously (curve 2 ) , s e v e r a l c o n t r o l l e r designs were
c a r r i e d o u t , t h e weightings of dynamic t y r e load and passenger
a c c e l e r a t i o n being varied i n r e l a t i o n t o one another. The RMS values
i n both optimization c r i t e r i a r e s u l t i n g from t h e s e designs provide
t h e curves shown here.
When time d e l a y is included, an improvement o f 40% on t h e values
f o r t h e passive reference model, whose l i m i t i n g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c curve
is entered a s curve 1 , is p o s s i b l e f o r both optimization c r i t e r i a .
When measurement o f road s u r f a c e i r r e g u l a r i t i e s is added, t h i s
becomes 60%.
An observer design was a l s o c a r r i e d o u t f o r t h i s v e h i c l e model
with i r r e g u l a r i t y s e n s o r s , with an o r d e r of 55 t h e most complex o f
t h e systems s t u d i e d . lhis was done s i n c e an observer is necessary
f o r implementation and t h e e f f e c t s of its a d d i t i o n a l dynamics on t h e
r e s u l t s previously achieved needed t o be t e s t e d . As can be seen from
t h e p o s i t i o n o f p o i n t 4 f o r a design example, t h e r e is o n l y s l i g h t
d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f t h e two c r i t e r i a compared with t h e system which is
only state-controlled.
 xA <cn> FOYNVL
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FDYNHL X1VLPP.U

f i g . 6 : Step responses o f t h e active-suspension vehicle model

i n c l u d i n g e x c i t a t i o n t i m e d e l a y , compared w i t h t h e p a s s i v e
s u s p e n s i o n model
7- -XX1VLPP.W <M/S**2>

In -
--
N

--

actlve lnoclel wlth disturbance measurement

xtlve lnoclel wlth KALMFtfllter

r d e l with til~ledelay

O 7 I I I I I I . I I ' ' . . . . .

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
FOYNVL <%>
Fig. 7 : RMS v a l u e s i n weighted c a r p a s s e n g e r a c c e l e r a t i o n dependent
on dynamic t y r e l o a d f o r v a r i o u s c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n s e r i e s i n
t h e active-suspension vehicle.
 6. SUMMARY
FBrked improvements i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f a c t i v e suspension can be
achieved o n l y when a s p a t i a l v e h i c l e model is examined and e x c i t a -
t i o n time d e l a y s i n multi-axle v e h i c l e s are included.
kbreover, i f p r a c t i c a b l e c o n t r o l l e r s are t o be achieved i t is
necessary t o c o n s i d e r t h e dynamic environment o f t h e v e h i c l e system
d u r i n g d e s i g n , i n o t h e r words
- the excitation characteristic,
- t h e s e n s i t i v i t y o f car passengers t o v i b r a t i o n ,
- t h e dynamics o f t h e a c t u a t o r s and
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- t h e guidance c o n d i t i o n s .
A s has been shown, o b s e r v e r s , i.e. Kalman f i l t e r s , can be de-
signed even f o r such complex high-order models and r e a l i z e d with
s u f f i c i e n t l y high sampling r a t e s w i t h t h e new k i n d s o f f a s t s i g n a l
processors Dl.
By s t a n d a r d i z i n g t h e main program modules and s y s t e m a t i z i n g f i l e
names, t h e number o f d a t a f i l e s f o r t h e v a r i o u s models and con-
t r o l l e r d e s i g n s was r e s t r i c t e d and t h u s remained manageable.
Cespite t h e g r e a t range and high o r d e r o f t h e system, no numeri-
c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s a r o s e i n t h e computing a l g o r i t h m s used.
The c o n t r o l l e r d e s i g n method presented h e r e is of c o u r s e n o t t h e
o n l y way o f implementing a c t i v e v e h i c l e suspension. A t t h e & p a r t -
ment of Automatic Control i n k c h a n i c a l m i n e e r i n g i n Paderborn a
computer-supported d e s i g n method r e q u i r i n g less complex feedback is
a t p r e s e n t being developed on t h e b a s i s o f s e n s i t i v i t y a n a l y s i s
1 b w e v e r , t h e amount o f information which can be processed by
t h i s is reduced. A l l minimal implementations ought t o be measured
a g a i n s t t h e r e s u l t s achieved i n t h e concept presented h e r e , i n which
a l l p o s s i b l e information about t h e system, i.e. a l l system states,
a r e r e g i s t e r e d and fed back.
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Verfahren z u r Synthese e i n e r a k t i v e n Federung.
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Transportation - A Review o f t h e State-of-the Art
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n i k , R u h r u n i v e r s i t a t Bochum
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