Active Suspension Control to Improve Vehicle Ride and Handling

• Published in: Vehicle system dynamics Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 1 - 24
• Main Authors: WILLIAMS, DANIEL E., HADDAD, WASSIM M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Taylor & Francis Group 01.07.1997; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Machine components; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Springs and dampers; Motor car; Vehicle suspension; Active system; Optimal control; Vehicle dynamics; Comparative study; Modal control
• ISSN: 0042-3114; 1744-5159
• DOI: 10.1080/00423119708969346

In practice most active vehicle suspension work can be traced to two sources, Lotus' modal control and Karnopp's skyhook damper. A model is developed which allows comparison of different active suspension control algorithms. The Lotus modal control algorithm is reviewed, and compared with Karnopp's skyhook damper. It is shown that a tight inner closed loop allows the Lotus algorithm to achieve the inertial damping described by Kamopp for a single comer or quarter car. It is suggested that to achieve simultaneously high inertial damping and good disturbance rejection an inner force loop is desirable. A vehicle control scheme is presented which combines the Lotus modal decomposition with Karnopp's skyhook damper, allowing nearly optimal ride and simultaneously permitting modification of vehicle handling properties.