A NNALS of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara – International Journal of Engineering

Tome XVI [2018] | Fascicule 4 [November]

1.
Adina BUDIUL BERGHIAN, 2.Corneliu BIRTOK BANEASA,3.Marcel TOPOR

MATHEMATICAL SHAPING OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM OF

MACPHERSON TYPE
University Politehnica Timisoara, Faculty of Engineering Hunedoara, Department of Engineering and
1-2.

Management, Hunedoara, ROMANIA

3.
University Politehnica Timisoara, Faculty of Engineering Hunedoara, Department of Electrical Engineering and
Industrial Informatics, Hunedoara, ROMANIA

Abstract: In the engineering road vehicles, simulating the dynamic behavior is very important because it allows us
to study real-world systems without making changes in their actual development, the ultimate goal being to find
the ideal configuration. Mathematical models simulate physical tests that allow engineers to see similar results from
testing of motor vehicles, but can be obtained repeatedly, safe and much faster than is possible by performing
physical tests. We use virtual simulations for the CarSim software, which is a commercial software package that
provides efficiency vehicle response to the driver’s commands (steering, throttle, brakes or clutch shift) in a given
environment (road geometry, coefficients of friction and wind).
Keywords: road vehicles, testing of motor vehicles, CarSim software, MacPherson suspension

1 INTRODUCTION
In the engineering road vehicles, simulating the dynamic behavior is very important because it allows us to
study real-world systems without making changes in their actual development, the ultimate goal being to find
the ideal configuration. In our experiments we use the virtual simulations offered by the CarSim software (Figure
1), which is a commercial software package that provides efficiency vehicle response to the driver’s commands
(steering, throttle, brakes, clutch shift)
in a given environment (road
geometry, coefficients of friction, wind)
[1], [2].
To validate simulation models we
considered the case of a small car
compact coupe class. The feature of
this class is the body in two-door, fixed
roof and trunk of a sedan shorter than
the same model.
The configuration of the Ford Puma is
all face 2 + 2-seater, based on the Ford
Fiesta platform, but increased track
width, aerodynamic bodywork,
suspension and stiffer gearbox with
Figure 1. CarSim Interface
shorter ratios.
2. MATHEMATIC MODEL OF THE MACPHERSON SUSPENSION
For a dynamic simulation of a MacPherson suspension it is necessary to identify its mathematical model; mainly,
the MacPherson suspension is composed of a damper and a spring element fitted to a link mechanism (Figure
2) [3], [4]. The sizing mechanism is made for each vehicle individually. The mathematical equations describing
the dynamics of the system are the following [5], [6]:
( ms + mu ) zs + mu lc cos (θ − θ0 )θ − mu lc sin (θ − θ0 )θ2 +
(1)
+kt ( zs + lc ( sin (θ − θ 0 ) ) − sin (θ 0 ) − Z r ) =
− fd
c p bl2 sin (α ′ − θ 0 ) θ
mu lc2θ + mu lc cos (θ − θ 0 ) Zs + +
4 ( al − bl cos (α ′ − θ ) )
(2)
+ kt lc cos (θ − θ o )( Z s + lc ) ( sin (θ − θ 0 ) − sin ( −θ 0 ) − Z r ) −
 
1  dl 
− k s sin (α ′ − θ ) b1 + =−lB f a
2

 ( 1
cl − dl cos (α ′ − θ ) 2 ) 


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A NNALS of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara – International Journal of Engineering
Tome XVI [2018] | Fascicule 4 [November]

a=
l l A2 + lB2 bl = 2l AlB al2 − al bl cos (α + θ 0 )
cl = al bl − bl2 cos (α + θ 0 ) α ′ =
dl = α + θ0
 θ θ]T
The status variables are:: [ x1 x2 x3 x4 ]T = [ Z S Z S

 x1 = x2
 x = f ( x , x , x , x , f , z , f )
 2 1 1 2 3 4 a r b
 (3)
 x3 = x4

 x4 = f 2 ( x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 , f a , zr , f b )
where: Z s is the vertical displacement of the vehicle body weight; Z s
is the speed of vertical motion of the vehicle body (bodywork, engine,
passenger); θ is the movement of the control arm; θ is the angular
speed of movement of the control arm.
The system of nonlinear equations is:
x =Ax(t ) + B1 f a (t ) + B2 Z r (t ) + B3 fb (t ), x(0) =0 (4)
Where: A is the matrix of the parameters of the suspension; B1 is the
matrix of the active force; B2 is the matrix that takes into account road
profile; B3 is the matrix that takes into account the force applied to
Figure 2. Cinematic diagram
the vehicle chassis.
So:
 0   0 
0 1 0 0    
a lB cos(−θ 0 ) kt lc sin (−θ 0 )
2
0 a23 a24     
A =  21 ; ;
 ms lc + mu lc sin 2 (−θ 0 )  ms lc + mu lc sin 2 ( −θ 0 )  ;
0 0 0 1  B1 =   B2 =  
   0   0 
 a41 0 a43 a44   (ms + mu )lc   ms kt lc cos( −θ 0 ) 
   
 ms mu lc + mu lc sin (−θ 0 ) 
2 2 2 2
 ms mu lc + mu lc sin ( −θ 0 ) 
2 2 2 2

 0 
 lc 
  D1 = ms lc + mu lc sin 2 ( x3 − θ 0 )
 ms lc + mu lc sin ( −θ 0 )  ;
2

B3 =   D2 = ms mu lc2 + mu2lc2 sin 2 ( x3 − θ 0 )

 0 
 mu lc cos(−θ 0 ) 
 
m m
 s ucl 2
+ m 2 2
l
u c sin 2
( −θ )
0 


1  1  dl 
=a23   ks  bl +  (cos(α '+ θ 0 )) −
D12   2  1
(cl − dl cos(α ')) 2 
 
kt lc sin 2 (−θ 0 )
   ; a21 = ;
1 dl2 sin α ' D1
− (ks sin α 'cos(θ 0 ))   − (kt lc2 sin 2 (−θ 0 ) cos(−θ 0 )  ⋅
2  2(c − d cos α ') 3 2  
 l l  
 dl 
⋅  ms lc + mu lc sin 2 (−θ 0 )  + mu ks lc sin α 'sin(−θ o ) cos 2 (−θ 0 )  bl + 
 1
(cl − dl cos(α ')) 2 
 
1 c b 2 sin 2 α ' 1 (ms + mu )c p bl sin α '
2 2

a=
24 ⋅ p l ; a41 = −ms kt lc cos(−θ 0 ) ; a44 =
− ⋅ ;
D1 4(al − bl cos α ') D2 D2 4(al − bl cos α ')
  
1  1 dl
a43
=  (ms + mu )k s cos α '  bl +  (cos(α '+ θ 0 )) −
D22   2  1
(cl − dl cos(α ')) 2 
  

1  dl2 sin α '  

− (ms + mu )k s sin α '   + ms kt lc2 cos(−θ 0 )  ⋅ [ms mu lc2 + mu2lc2 sin 2 (−θ 0 )] +
2  2(c − d cos α ') 3 2  
 l l  
1  dl 

+ (ms + mu )mu2 k s lc2 sin α 'sin(−θ 0 ) cos 2 (−θ 0 )  bl + 
2  1
(cl − dl cos(α ')) 2 
 

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 A NNALS of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara – International Journal of Engineering
Tome XVI [2018] | Fascicule 4 [November]

The software test route is an uneven road which frequency is regular, so the shocks felt by the mechanism of
suspension of the car have a sinusoidal distribution. In this paper we will focus on three characteristic
parameters: angle of fall coefficient of compression springs and ride height [7].
Table 1. Parameters features
Free running ray Effective running ray Coefficient of compression spring The compression report of
[mm] [mm] [N/mm2] spring / damping race
310 298 232 0.950
3. RESULTS ANALYSIS
The results of the simulation are shown in graphical form as follows:
— Forces on the vertical oscillation (Figure 3)
— Angle of fall according to the damping stroke (Figure 4)
— Damping force (Figure 5)
— Spring compression (Figure 6)

Figure 3. Forces on the vertical oscillation

Figure 4. Angle of fall according to the damping stroke

Figure 5. Damping force

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A NNALS of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara – International Journal of Engineering
Tome XVI [2018] | Fascicule 4 [November]

Figure 6. Spring compression

4. CONCLUSIONS
Mathematical models reproduce the behavior of the system at high fidelity. They contain major effects that
determine how the tire comes into contact with the road and how the forces resulting from the interaction tire
/ road transferred through the chassis suspension. However, they do not provide details about transmission
connections or compliance structure. The models were validated repeatedly by the manufacturers for the
reproduction of motor vehicles, generally the movements necessary for assessing handling (stability, braking
and acceleration). On the other hand, these do not include the details necessary for determining the durability
of components, fatigue or high-frequency vibration
References
[1] https://www.carsim.com/products/carsim/index.php
[2] https://www.carsim.com/products/supporting/simulink/index.php
[3] Keum-Shik Hong, Dong-Seop Jeon and Hyun-Chul Sohn, (1999). A New Modeling of the Macpherson Suspension
System and its Optimal Pole-Placement Control, Proceedings of the 7th Mediterranean Conference on Control
and Automation (MED99) Haifa, Israel - June 28—30
[4] H. Chen, Z. Y. Liu and P. Y. Liu, Application of Constrained H8 Control to Active Suspension Systems on Half-Car
Models, ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control September 2005, Vol. 127 / 345
[5] Patil, A., Mathematical Model for Kinematic Analysis of McPherson Strut Suspension, SAE Technical Paper 2016-
28-0184, 2016
[6] http://www.minitab.com/en-US/default.aspx
[7] W. Gao, N. Zhang and H. P. Du, A half-car model for dynamic analysis of vehicles with random parameters, 5th
Australian Congress on Applied Mechanics(ACAM 2007),Brisbane, Australia

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