Fuzzy Logic Active and Semi-Active Control of Off-Road Vehicle Suspensions

For off-road vehicles, minimizing the absorbed power is the main objective of suspension control. The primary cause of increase in the absorbed power in off-road vehicles driven at high speeds on harsh courses is the exhaustion of the suspension travel. Fuzzy-logic approach to active and semi-active off-road vehicle suspension control, with the goal of improving the speed of the vehicle over rough terrains are developed. The ride metric used for quantifying improvements is the absorbed power of the sprung mass. Particular attention is paid to the proper modeling of the suspension using both the full kinematic constraints and the more convenient two degree of freedom linear model of the quarter vehicle suspension. The nonlinearities due to the kinematic constraints on motion are accounted for by modifying the stiffness and damping coefficients of the suspension spring and dashpot in the linear model. The control laws are developed using the less complex model and demonstrated in the fully constrained environment. Nonlinearities of the suspension, including tire stiffness/damping and bumpstops are included at all stages of controller development.     

Fuzzy Logic Active and Semi-Active Control of Off-Road Vehicle Suspensions

For off-road vehicles, minimizing the absorbed power is the main objective of suspension control. The primary cause of increase in the absorbed power in off-road vehicles driven at high speeds on harsh courses is the exhaustion of the suspension travel. Fuzzy-logic approach to active and semi-active off-road vehicle suspension control, with the goal of improving the speed of the vehicle over rough terrains are developed. The ride metric used for quantifying improvements is the absorbed power of the sprung mass. Particular attention is paid to the proper modeling of the suspension using both the full kinematic constraints and the more convenient two degree of freedom linear model of the quarter vehicle suspension. The nonlinearities due to the kinematic constraints on motion are accounted for by modifying the stiffness and damping coefficients of the suspension spring and dashpot in the linear model. The control laws are developed using the less complex model and demonstrated in the fully constrained environment. Nonlinearities of the suspension, including tire stiffness/damping and bumpstops are included at all stages of controller development.     

轻型越野车车轮定位与悬架的相互影响

分析了轻型越野车采用悬架系统相应的车轮定位特性,通过对侧倾中心和车身侧倾角的分析,得出了车轮定位与悬架相互影响的工程理论研究方法,并通过ADAMS仿真分析和道路试验给予了验证。     

面向平顺性仿真的越野汽车动态模型

首先根据越野汽车的结构特点和平顺性试验方法建立越野汽车静态模型;然后把平顺性虚拟测试过程视为变化的系统,从集合观点建立其动态模型,并把多种越野路面包括在模型中。测试结果表明,该建模方法可以用来表征不同越野车型随时间和空间变化的激励与响应特征,扩大了越野汽车平顺性虚拟测试系统的适用范围。     

Theoretical Analysis of a Semi Active Suspension Fitted to an Off-Road Vehicle

A theoretical analysis is presented to model a hydromechanical, semi-active suspension system, first as a single wheel station and then as fitted to each wheel of an off-road vehicle. Predicted results show that two benefits are obtained by comparison with the equivalent passive system. First, vehicle attitude is controlled for changes in body forces arising from static loads or braking/cornering inputs. Second, a significant improvement in ride comfort is obtained because low suspension stiffnesses can be used.     

I. Minutes of the IAVSD Board Meetings

SUMMARY

A theoretical analysis is presented to model a hydromechanical, semi-active suspension system, first as a single wheel station and then as fitted to each wheel of an off-road vehicle. Predicted results show that two benefits are obtained by comparison with the equivalent passive system. First, vehicle attitude is controlled for changes in body forces arising from static loads or braking/cornering inputs. Second, a significant improvement in ride comfort is obtained because low suspension stiffnesses can be used.     

越野汽车AMT起步与换挡过程试验研究

根据越野汽车特点及行驶工况,建立了装备电控机械自动变速器的越野汽车起步与换挡控制系统数学模型,对其工作过程进行了分析。在空载与满载工况,按照不同油门和不同离合器结合速度进行了试验。为了满足平顺性,建立了以冲击度为约束条件的起步与换挡控制规律,并对试验结果进行了分析。试验结果表明,以动态三参数对换挡过程进行控制可改善起步及换挡品质,满足平顺性要求。     

消除多余约束全局耦合油气悬架系统的研究

提出了悬架多余约束问题,分析了其产生原因,论述了消除多余约束对减小车身扭转载荷、提高汽车越野性能的意义。介绍了消除多余约束全局耦合油气悬架系统的作用原理和消扭作用缸的设计依据。设计了消除多余约束全局耦合油气悬架系统并进行了试验研究。结果表明,所设计的悬架系统在减小车身扭转载荷方面效果明显。     

轮毂电机驱动车辆驱动力控制研究

轮毂电机驱动车辆各轮转矩精确可控且响应迅速的特点适用于越野工况，但越野路面起伏不一且附着条件多变，因此，开发基于越野工况辨识的车辆驱动力控制策略，对提升轮毂电机驱动车辆的纵向行驶稳定性具有重要意义。基于动力学模型分析路面附着与路面几何特征，确定可用于越野工况辨识的车辆特征参数集；针对车轮悬空垂向载荷估计失真现象，且由于地面垂向力的实际变化导致车辆垂向载荷分配比例的改变，修正了垂向载荷的计算；利用各特征参数的差异与越野工况的映射关系判定工况属性，采用模糊识别法界定4种地形工况；驱动力控制上层考虑工况与驾驶员影响因素，通过越野工况辨识结果决策驱动利用系数，作为前馈期望转矩调节权重；中层通过四轮垂向载荷得到转矩分配系数，设计驱动力分配算法；下层针对车辆在越野工况下出现车轮滑转与悬空状态，对车轮进行动态转矩补偿。仿真测试与实车验证表明，越野工况辨识结果与预期相符，驱动力控制策略综合优化了车辆稳定性和动力性。     

某越野车前悬架优化研究

前悬架参数是汽车的重要参数,提出了虚拟试验优化设计方法以确定这些参数。根据多刚体动力学原理,建立前悬架和整车虚拟样机。在ADAMS／Car中进行了两侧车轮同向跳动试验、低速回正性试验、高速回正性试验。在试验中利用ADAMS／Insight对前悬架参数进行优化,对比优化前后试验结果,证明这种设计方法可以令参数选择更加合理,同时缩短设计开发周期,减少成本。     

基于ADVISOR二次开发的混合动力越野车仿真分析

针对混合动力越野车性能仿真需求,考虑到ADVISOR不能提供变化路面条件和不同环境条件下的仿真分析,对ADVISOR进行了二次开发。通过修改ADVISOR中整车模型、车轮模型和部件模型,增加滚动阻力系数模型、车轮滑转率与附着系数模型和蓄电池温度模型,建立了串联式混合动力越野车仿真系统。对某在研国产串联式混合动力越野车的整车性能进行了仿真分析。仿真结果表明,不同的路面条件和环境条件对混合动力车的各种性能有较大影响。     

A NARX damper model for virtual tuning of automotive suspension systems with high-frequency loading

A computationally efficient NARX-type neural network model is developed to characterise highly nonlinear frequency-dependent thermally sensitive hydraulic dampers for use in the virtual tuning of passive suspension systems with high-frequency loading. Three input variables are chosen to account for high-frequency kinematics and temperature variations arising from continuous vehicle operation over non-smooth surfaces such as stone-covered streets, rough or off-road conditions. Two additional input variables are chosen to represent tuneable valve parameters. To assist in the development of the NARX model, a highly accurate but computationally excessive physical damper model [originally proposed by S. Duym and K. Reybrouck, Physical characterization of non-linear shock absorber dynamics, Eur. J. Mech. Eng. M 43(4) (1998), pp. 181–188] is extended to allow for high-frequency input kinematics. Experimental verification of this extended version uses measured damper data obtained from an industrial damper test machine under near-isothermal conditions for fixed valve settings, with input kinematics corresponding to harmonic and random road profiles. The extended model is then used only for simulating data for training and testing the NARX model with specified temperature profiles and different valve parameters, both in isolation and within quarter-car vehicle simulations. A heat generation and dissipation model is also developed and experimentally verified for use within the simulations. Virtual tuning using the quarter-car simulation model then exploits the NARX damper to achieve a compromise between ride and handling under transient thermal conditions with harmonic and random road profiles. For quarter-car simulations, the paper shows that a single tuneable NARX damper makes virtual tuning computationally very attractive.     

A comparative study on fault detection methods of rail vehicle suspension systems based on acceleration measurements

Reliability of the railway vehicle suspension system is of critical importance to the safety of the vehicle. On-line health condition monitoring for the suspension system of rail vehicles offers a number of benefits such as preventing further deterioration of vehicle performance, enhancing vehicle safety, increasing operational reliability and availability, and reducing maintenance costs. It is desirable to timely detect the fault and monitor the performance degradation of vehicle suspension systems. In this paper, a comparative study on fault detection methods of urban rail vehicle suspension systems is considered. A novel sensor configuration is proposed where the underlying vehicle system is equipped with only acceleration sensors in the four corners of the carbody, the leading and trailing bogie, respectively. A mathematical model is developed for the considered vehicle suspension system. Both model-based and data-driven approaches are studied for the suspension fault detection problem. The robust observer, the Kalman filter combined with the generalised likelihood ratio test method, the dynamical principle components analysis and the canonical variate analysis approaches are applied to the fault detection problem. The simulation is carried out by means of the professional multi-body simulation tool, SIMPACK. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are compared. The simulation results show that the data-driven methods outperform the model-based methods.     

车辆加速横向抖动前期开发控制

为分析某款城市越野车在加速过程中横向耸动的现象,文章通过测试分析,发现半轴轴向派生力的激励频率与动力总成的横向模态耦合,是引起车辆横向抖动的根本原因。文章以人体感知,制定了车辆抖动的目标;以动力总成、悬置、整车和减振器组建12自由度模型,以此解析加速行驶工况下动力总成刚体横向模态;以半轴轴向派生力与座椅之间的振动数学模型,建立了车辆加速工况横向抖动问题的研究方法。CAE分析及试验测试结果表明:通过控制半轴的轴向派生力或动力总成的横向模态可以控制车辆的横向抖动。     

Impact of inerter nonlinearities on vehicle suspension control

This paper discusses the nonlinear properties of inerters and their impact on vehicle suspension control. The inerter was recently introduced as an ideal mechanical two-terminal element, which is a substitute for the mass element, where the applied force is proportional to the relative acceleration across the terminals. Until now, ideal inerters have been applied to vehicle, motorcycle and train suspension systems, in which significant performance improvement was achieved. However, due to the mechanical construction, some nonlinear properties of the existing mechanical models of inerters are noted. This paper investigates the inerter nonlinearities, including friction, backlash and the elastic effect, and their influence on vehicle suspension performance. A testing platform is also built to verify the nonlinear properties of the inerter model.     

多工况下某越野车车架多目标拓扑优化设计

以多工况下的柔度(静态)和振动固有频率(动态)为目标函数,对某越野车车架进行多目标拓扑优化。依据固体各向同性惩罚(SIMP)理论,采用带权重的折衷规划法建立多工况、多目标优化模型,通过迭代计算得到新的越野车车架。通过仿真分析表明新车架能同时满足静态柔度最小和低阶振动频率最高的要求。     

Linear matrix inequality based control of vehicle active suspension system

Linear matrix inequality (LMI) methods, novel techniques in solving optimisation problems, were introduced as a unified approach for vehicle's active suspension system controller design. LMI methods were used to provide improved and computationally efficient controller design techniques. The active suspension problem was formulated as a standard convex optimisation problem involving LMI constraints that can be solved efficiently using recently developed interior point optimisation methods. An LMI based controller for a vehicle system was developed. The controller design process involved setting up an optimisation problem with matrix inequality constraints. These LMI constraints were derived for a vehicle suspension system. The resulting LMI controller was then tested on a quarter-car model using computer simulations. The LMI controller results were compared with an optimal PID controller design solution. The LMI controller was further tested by incorporating a nonlinear term in the vehicle's suspension model; the LMI's controller degraded response was enhanced by using gain-scheduling techniques. The LMI controller with gain-scheduling gave good results in spite of the unmodelled dynamics in the suspension system, which was triggered by large deflections due to off-road driving.     

中型越野车转向问题浅析

在提高中型越野车机动性研究中,分析了在低等级路面高机动性行驶时出现的方向盘打手驾驶体验差问题的主要原因,提出了配装电动辅助转向系统(EAS)的解决方案。某中型越野车分别配装液压助力转向系统(HPS)和EAS进行了对比试验研究。试验项目包括试验场低等级路面(大小圆凸起路、卵石路、搓板路和石块路)高机动性行驶和转向回正,得到了配装2种转向系统的方向盘手力矩对比数据。结果表明,中型越野车配装EAS能够较好解决前述问题。     

Ride dynamic evaluations and design optimisation of a torsio-elastic off-road vehicle suspension

The ride dynamic characteristics of a novel torsio-elastic suspension for off-road vehicle applications are investigated through field measurements and simulations. A prototype suspension was realised and integrated within the rear axle of a forestry skidder for field evaluations. Field measurements were performed on forestry terrains at a constant forward speed of 5 km/h under the loaded and unloaded conditions, and the ride responses were acquired in terms of accelerations along the vertical, lateral, roll, longitudinal and pitch axes. The measurements were also performed on a conventional skidder to investigate the relative ride performance potentials of the proposed suspension. The results revealed that the proposed suspension could yield significant reductions in magnitudes of transmitted vibration to the operator seat. Compared with the unsuspended vehicle, the prototype suspended vehicle resulted in nearly 35%, 43% and 57% reductions in the frequency-weighted rms accelerations along the x-, y- and z-axis, respectively. A 13-degree-of-freedom ride dynamic model of the vehicle with rear-axle torsio-elastic suspension was subsequently derived and validated in order to study the sensitivity of the ride responses to suspension parameters. Optimal suspension parameters were identified using the Pareto technique based on the genetic algorithm to obtain minimal un-weighted and frequency-weighted rms acceleration responses. The optimal solutions resulted in further reduction in the pitch acceleration in the order of 20%, while the reductions in roll and vertical accelerations ranged from 3.5 to 6%.     

Farm tractor models for research and development purposes

The modelling problems related to the simulation of the dynamics of farm tractors are dealt with. The aim is to develop reliable mathematical models to speed-up the research and development activities in which farm tractors and their sub-systems (driveline, steering and suspension system, etc.) are to be conceived and designed. Two models of farm tractors have been developed. The first model is based on a proprietary software, able to quickly simulate the motion of a vehicle on smooth or rough soil. The second model has been developed by the commercial software ADAMS/Car^®, which allows to model complicated transmission and suspension systems. In both of the two models, the tyres, the transmission system, the suspension system, the steering system, the engine and the body inertia are carefully described mathematically. Both of the two models are defined in a parametric way. Particular attention has been devoted to the measurements of the tyre characteristic and of the inertia parameters of the farm tractor body. For the measurement of tyre characteristics, a new instrumented wheel hub has been used. The accurate measurement of both the tyre characteristic and body inertia tensor has allowed a good agreement between measured and computed time histories referring to a number of validation manoeuvres performed either on-road or off-road. The derived farm tractor models could simulate the working conditions of a generic farm tractor while hauling a plough or while running at a relatively high speed on a rough soil or while steering on a sloped, soft surface.