Failure mode and effects analysis of dual levelling valve airspring suspensions on truck dynamics

Failure mode and effects analysis are performed for a dual levelling valve pneumatic suspension to determine the effect of suspension failure on tractor–semi-trailer dynamics, using a detailed model of suspension pneumatics coupled with a truck dynamic model. A key element of failure analysis in suspensions with one or two levelling valves is determining the effect on the vehicle body roll when one or more failures occur. The failure modes considered are mainly the suspension pneumatic components, including clogged levelling valve, bent control rod, disabled lever arm, and punctured or leaking connectors and pipes. The pneumatic suspension is modelled in AMESim, with critical parameters established through component testing. Upon validating the AMESim component model experimentally, the pneumatic suspension model is integrated into TruckSim for studying the consequences of suspension failure on truck dynamics. The simulation results indicate that the second levelling valve in a dual-valve arrangement brings a certain amount of failure redundancy to the system, in the sense that when one side fails, the other side can compensate for the failure. Equipping the trailer with dual levelling valves brings an additional stabilising effect to the vehicle in the event of tractor suspension failure.     

某轿跑SUV提升转向响应的硬点优化仿真与验证

针对某SUV车型的前悬架响应慢,进行了前悬架的仿真优化分析,通过抬高转向器安装硬点位置可以优化前悬架侧倾转向和平跳转向的特性,减小不足转向度,提升整车响应特性,然后进行客观测试来对比指标变化,最后得出结论通过加高转向器安装硬点可以提升整车转向响应。     

基于ADAMS的空气悬架客车平顺性仿真与试验

以多体系统动力学理论为基础,应用机械系统仿真分析软件ADAMS,创建空气悬架客车前悬架、后悬架的多体系统动力学模型,包括转向系、发动机、车身、前后轮胎等在内的整车虚拟样机模型。并通过编制路面谱文件对虚拟模型进行平顺性仿真和悬挂系统固有频率仿真试验,结果显示该车的平顺性能比较理想。将仿真结果与样车道路试验结果进行对比,发现二者比较吻合,从而验证了所创建的虚拟样机模型的可靠性。研究结果表明虚拟试验可以有效地分析汽车的平顺性。     

Overturning Stability of Three Wheeled Motorized Vehicles

Three wheeled motorized vehicles are a major mode of public transport in many countries. These vehicles are prone to overturning even during normal turning and obstacle avoidance maneuvers. This paper presents a parametric analysis of a mathematical model of the vehicle and evolves guidelines for improving the overturning stability in terms of vehicle geometry and suspension properties.

Differential equations governing the dynamic behavior of the vehicle are derived on the basis of a six degree of freedom model. The vehicle response to variations in steering, engine power and braking inputs is then numerically simulated. The effects of vehicle geometry and elasto-damping suspension coefficients on the vehicle stability are presented. The results indicate an optimum position of the center of gravity where the vehicle is most stable. While stiffer suspensions favour stability, there exists an optimum value of suspension damping for which the minimum wheel load is a maximum.     

Rail Vehicles' Riding Quality and Comfort Related to Theoretical and Experimental Optimization Application to High Speed Trains

SUMMARY

The literature concerned with road damage caused by heavy commercial vehicles is reviewed. The main types of vehicle-generated road damage are described and the methods that can be used to analyse them are presented. Attention is given to the principal features of the response of road surfaces to vehicle loads and mathematical models that have been developed to predict road response. Also discussed are those vehicle features which, to a first approximation, can be studied without consideration of the dynamics of the vehicle, including axle and tyre configurations, tyre contact conditions and static load sharing in axle group suspensions. The main emphasis of the paper is on the dynamic tyre forces generated by heavy vehicles: their principal characteristics, their simulation and measurement, the effects of suspension design on the forces and the methods that can be used to estimate their influence on road damage. Some critical research needs are identified.     

Rollover mitigation for a heavy commercial vehicle

A heavy commercial vehicle has a high probability of rollover because it is usually loaded heavily and thus has a high center of gravity. An anti-roll bar is efficient for rollover mitigation, but it can cause poor ride comfort when the roll stiffness is excessively high. Therefore, active roll control (ARC) systems have been developed to optimally control the roll state of a vehicle while maintaining ride comfort. Previously developed ARC systems have some disadvantages, such as cost, complexity, power consumption, and weight. In this study, an ARC-based rear air suspension for a heavy commercial vehicle, which does not require additional power for control, was designed and manufactured. The rollover index-based vehicle rollover mitigation control scheme was used for the ARC system. Multi-body dynamic models of the suspension subsystem and the full vehicle were used to design the rear air suspension and the ARC system. The reference rollover index was tuned through lab tests. Field tests, such as steady state cornering tests and step steer tests, demonstrated that the roll response characteristics in the steady state and transient state were improved.     

基于多目标粒子群优化算法的某轻型商用车操纵稳定性优化研究

针对某轻型商用车稳态回转时侧倾度偏大的问题对其悬架进行优化改进。基于ADAMS/car搭建整车多体动力学模型,通过前悬架反向平行轮跳试验、后悬架理论计算验证了悬架仿真模型的准确性。进行整车稳态回转工况和转向盘中间位置转向工况仿真分析,结果表明,车身侧倾度偏高。为实现操纵稳定性优化分析的流程自动化,提出了基于modeFRONTIER的联合仿真方法。以悬架设计参数为优化变量,以汽车的侧倾度与横摆角速度响应滞后时间为优化目标,采用拉丁超立方试验设计方法拟合得到混合代理模型,并结合多目标粒子群优化算法对悬架系统进行多目标优化,获得了悬架系统优化方案。优化结果显示,在不影响平顺性的前提下,汽车车身侧倾度降低了13.93%,横摆角速度响应滞后时间降低了2.75%,整车操纵稳定性得到了提升。     

Independent Suspension, Self Steered Axle, and 4WS for Busses

The dynamic behavior of commercial vehicles fitted with differentr types of suspension mechanisms and steering devices is investigated in this paper. Six vehicle models have been constructed: 2WS-SA is a standard two wheel steering bus with solid axles; 2WS-DW is a 2WSA vehicle with independent double wishbone suspension in front and rear axles; SSA-SA is a 2WS system with solid axles, the rear one being mounted on a self steered mechanism; SSA-DW is a vehicle with independent double wishbone suspension in the front axle, and a solid self steered rear axle; 4WS-SA has four wheel steering with solid axles; and 4WS-DW is a 4WS vehicle with independent double wishbone suspension in front and rear axles. The dynamic response of these models has been assessed in terms of lateral acceleration, yaw velocity, tire forces, tire force reserves, and slip angles. The expected advantages of a 4WS system (higher acceleration rates and lower slip angles) will be corroborated but, at the same time, it will be shown that they are obtained at the cost of lower force reserves. Self steered mechanisms produce smaller body slip angles, but it will be shown that they give rise to larger yaw velocity overshootings. The particular independent suspension analyzed does not show significant improvements with respect to the solid axle counterpart.     

Heavy duty vehicle rollover detection and active roll control

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive study on heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) roll stability improvement technology. The proposed rollover threat warning system uses the real-time dynamic model-based time-to-rollover (TTR) metric as a basis for online rollover detections. Its feasibility for implementation in a HDV rollover threat detection system is demonstrated through vehicle dynamic simulation studies. The research on the development of a rollover threat detection system is further enhanced in combination with an active roll control system using active suspension mechanism to improve heavy-duty trucks’ roll stability both in the static cornering and in emergency maneuvers. It has been demonstrated that the roll stability of typical heavy-duty trucks has been largely improved by the proposed active safety monitoring and control system.     

Roll and pitch independently tuned interconnected suspension: modelling and dynamic analysis

In this paper, a roll and pitch independently tuned hydraulically interconnected passive suspension is presented. Due to decoupling of vibration modes and the improved lateral and longitudinal stability, the stiffness of individual suspension spring can be reduced for improving ride comfort and road grip. A generalised 14 degree-of-freedom nonlinear vehicle model with anti-roll bars is established to investigate the vehicle ride and handling dynamic responses. The nonlinear fluidic model of the hydraulically interconnected suspension is developed and integrated with the full vehicle model to investigate the anti-roll and anti-pitch characteristics. Time domain analysis of the vehicle model with the proposed suspension is conducted under different road excitations and steering/braking manoeuvres. The dynamic responses are compared with conventional suspensions to demonstrate the potential of enhanced ride and handling performance. The results illustrate the model-decoupling property of the hydraulically interconnected system. The anti-roll and anti-pitch performance could be tuned independently by the interconnected systems. With the improved anti-roll and anti-pitch characteristics, the bounce stiffness and ride damping can be optimised for better ride comfort and tyre grip.     

Investigation into untripped rollover of light vehicles in the modified fishhook and the sine maneuvers. Part I: Vehicle modelling, roll and yaw instability

Vehicle rollovers may occur under steering-only maneuvers because of roll or yaw instability. In this paper, the modified fishhook and the sine maneuvers are used to investigate a vehicle's rollover resistance capability through simulation. A 9-degrees of freedom (DOF) vehicle model is first developed for the investigation. The vehicle model includes the roll, yaw, pitch, and bounce modes and passive independent suspensions. It is verified with the existing 3-DOF roll-yaw model. A rollover critical factor (RCF) quantifying a vehicle's rollover resistance capability is then constructed based on the static stability factor (SSF) and taking into account the influence of other key dynamic factors.

Simulation results show that the vehicle with certain parameters will rollover during the fishhook maneuver because of roll instability; however, the vehicle with increased suspension stiffness, which does not rollover during the fishhook maneuver, may exceed its rollover resistance limit because of yaw instability during the sine maneuver. Typically, rollover in the sine maneuver happens after several cycles.

It has been found that the proposed RCF well quantifies the rollover resistance capability of a vehicle for the two specified maneuvers. In general, the larger the RCF, the more kinetically stable is a vehicle. A vehicle becomes unstable when its RCF is less than zero. Detailed discussion on the effects of key vehicle system parameters and drive conditions on the RCF in the fishhook and the sine maneuver is presented in Part II of this study.     

Validation of an Articulated Vehicle Simulation

SUMMARY

Tests were performed on a typical UK articulated vehicle to measure dynamic tyre forces and sprung mass accelerations. The measured road profile data and vehicle response data are used to determine some of the important characteristics of articulated vehicle vibration behaviour. In particular, roll motions and their effect on dynamic tyre forces are examined. The measured data are used to validate two and three-dimensional computer models of the vehicle. Attention is given to modelling the tandem leaf-spring trailer suspension. The conditions under which a two-dimensional model can accurately simulate vehicle behaviour are examined.     

Level and attitude control of the active suspension system with integral and derivative action

A 7-DOF full-car model with optimal active control suspension is utilized to evaluate the vehicle dynamic performances which are achieved through proposed controllers. The optimal controller, which includes the integral action for the suspension deflection, considerably improves the attitude control of a vehicle because the rolling and pitching motion in cornering and braking maneuvers are reduced, respectively. In the viewpoint of level control, the integral control acting on the suspension deflection results in the zero steady-state deflection in response to static body forces and ramp road input. The dynamic characteristics of the suspension control system are evaluated in terms of time domain and frequency domain. The simulations in the time domain demonstrate the advantages of the active suspension system obtained by penalizing the integral and derivative of suspension deflections and the derivative of roll and pitch angles in the performance index. The frequency characteristic curves obtained by simulations regarding integral action or derivative action show the increase of both ride comfort and road-holding performances by maximizing the use of suspension deflections. The potential of derivative control is shown by the performances of the car traveling over a bump and braking.     

Level and attitude control of the active suspension system with integral and derivative action

A 7-DOF full-car model with optimal active control suspension is utilized to evaluate the vehicle dynamic performances which are achieved through proposed controllers. The optimal controller, which includes the integral action for the suspension deflection, considerably improves the attitude control of a vehicle because the rolling and pitching motion in cornering and braking maneuvers are reduced, respectively. In the viewpoint of level control, the integral control acting on the suspension deflection results in the zero steady-state deflection in response to static body forces and ramp road input. The dynamic characteristics of the suspension control system are evaluated in terms of time domain and frequency domain. The simulations in the time domain demonstrate the advantages of the active suspension system obtained by penalizing the integral and derivative of suspension deflections and the derivative of roll and pitch angles in the performance index. The frequency characteristic curves obtained by simulations regarding integral action or derivative action show the increase of both ride comfort and road-holding performances by maximizing the use of suspension deflections. The potential of derivative control is shown by the performances of the car traveling over a bump and braking.     

Kinematic and dynamic analysis of a heavy truck with individual front suspension

The main focus of this work is on the characteristics of a commercial vehicle with individual front suspension (IFS). Both kinematic and dynamic properties of the vehicle are investigated through simulations and analytical expressions. Moreover, employing the model of the tractor semitrailer combination, the study presents the results of comparison between the trucks with IFS and rigid front axle with respect to comfort and handling. This is done by analysing the responses of the vehicles to different road and steering inputs. The obtained results show enhanced comfort and steering feeling for the truck with IFS.     

Adaptive Suspension Concepts for Road Vehicles

SUMMARY

Most vehicle suspensions are composed of passive spring and damper devices, although improved suspension performance is possible if an active system is used to control forces or relative velocities. The complexity, power requirements, and cost of fully active suspensions have restricted their use. Various partially active suspensions have been proposed and suspensions with slow load levelers and variable dampers are in widespread use. Here we analyze a class of basically passive suspensions the parameters of which can be varied actively in response to various measured signals on the vehicle. These suspensions can come close to optimal performance with simpler means than many of the active or semi-active schemes previously proposed.     

Vehicle-Generated Road Damage: A Review

The literature concerned with road damage caused by heavy commercial vehicles is reviewed. The main types of vehicle-generated road damage are described and the methods that can be used to analyse them are presented. Attention is given to the principal features of the response of road surfaces to vehicle loads and mathematical models that have been developed to predict road response. Also discussed are those vehicle features which, to a first approximation, can be studied without consideration of the dynamics of the vehicle, including axle and tyre configurations, tyre contact conditions and static load sharing in axle group suspensions. The main emphasis of the paper is on the dynamic tyre forces generated by heavy vehicles: their principal characteristics, their simulation and measurement, the effects of suspension design on the forces and the methods that can be used to estimate their influence on road damage. Some critical research needs are identified.     

A Full-Car Roll Model of a Vehicle with Controlled Suspension

SUMMARY

The full-car roll model of a vehicle suspension with static and dynamic control (using wheel, body and seat) is described by means of vertical and lateral input for both static and dynamic states. It is shown that the control deteriorates the static performance of the vertical response and improves the performance of the lateral response.