Advanced Control Methods for Automotive Applications

This paper reviews key developments in applications of advanced control methods to automotive systems. Such applications appear in many aspects of vehicle controls. We will examine representative application areas, which include engines, suspension systems, traction systems, steering systems and those for automated highway systems (AHS). Each area is examined from the viewpoint of modeling and control algorithm development. Useful control theories for automotive application are briefly reviewed for better understanding of the applicability of these theories.     

Damper Models for Heavy Vehicle Ride Dynamics

A laboratory rig for testing hydraulic dampers using the 'hardware-in-the-loop' method is described, and the accuracy of the test method is investigated. A mathematical model of a hydraulic shock absorber is then developed. The model is suitable for vehicle simulations and has seven parameters which can be determined by simple dynamic measurements on a test damper. The shock absorber model is validated under realistic operating conditions using the test rig, and the relative importance of various features of the model on the accuracy of vehicle simulations is investigated.     

Preview Control Algorithms for the Active Suspension of an Off-Road Vehicle

The potential performance improvement using preview control for active vehicle suspension was first recognized in the late nineteen sixties. All work done since that time has been based on optimal control theory using simple vehicle models.

In this article, the performance of quarter vehicle preview controllers when applied to a real off-road vehicle is simulated using both two degree of freedom quarter and ten degree of freedom full vehicle models. The results, which are compared with non-preview active and conventional passive suspensions, confirm that preview control reduces vertical acceleration of the body centre of gravity, which results in improved ride quality. Further, reductions in pitch and roll motion result from smaller vertical displacements of the vehicle quarters. Coupling between quarters, through the vehicle body, appears to have a smoothing effect on the control.

As an alternative to optimal control theory based controllers, a simple ad hoc preview controller based on isolating the vehicle body from dynamic loads transmitted through the suspension is proposed. Simulation results show that such a controller outperforms the optimal control theory based controllers over small discrete disturbances but responds poorly to disturbances encountered from other than steady state.     

Short-term Hourly Traffic Forecasts using Hong Kong Annual Traffic Census

The need for acquiring the current-year traffic data is a problem for transport planners since such data may not be available for on-going transport studies. A method is proposed in this paper to predict hourly traffic flows up to and into the near future, using historical data collected from the Hong Kong Annual Traffic Census (ATC). Two parametric and two non-parametric models have been employed and evaluated in this study. The results show that the non-parametric models (Non-Parametric Regression (NPR) and Gaussian Maximum Likelihood (GML)) were more promising for predicting hourly traffic flows at the selected ATC station. Further analysis encompassing 87 ATC stations revealed that the NPR is likely to react to unexpected changes more effectively than the GML method, while the GML model performs better under steady traffic flows. Taking into consideration the dynamic nature of the common traffic patterns in Hong Kong and the advantages/disadvantages of the various models, the NPR model is recommended for predicting the hourly traffic flows in that region.     

Dual extended Kalman filter for vehicle state and parameter estimation

The article demonstrates the implementation of a model-based vehicle estimator, which can be used for combined estimation of vehicle states and parameters. The estimator is realised using the dual extended Kalman filter (DEKF) technique, which makes use of two Kalman filters running in parallel, thus 'splitting' the state and parameter estimation problems. Note that the two problems cannot be entirely separated due to their inherent interdependencies. This technique provides several advantages, such as the possibility to switch off the parameter estimator, once a sufficiently good set of estimates has been obtained. The estimator is based on a four-wheel vehicle model with four degrees of freedom, which accommodates the dominant modes only, and is designed to make use of several interchangeable tyre models. The paper demonstrates the appropriateness of the DEKF. Results to date indicate that this is an effective approach, which is considered to be of potential benefit to the automotive industry.     

Modelling of wheels and rail discontinuities in dynamic wheel-rail contact analysis

A classification of wheel-rail contact is given. Difference is made between modelling of a running wheel with continuous single-point-contact, as is common practice in wheel-rail contact analysis, and a wheel with transient double- or multi-point-contact, which may occur for rail irregularities with curvatures larger than that of the wheel circumference. It is shown that application of the first model for these irregularities will strongly underestimate the contact forces as it does not describe occurring mechanisms correctly. Further, it is shown that in principle it is not possible to describe the second type of contact fully correct with a lumped wheel model. Both wheel models are formulated mathematically for some basic contact cases. Afterwards, results are applied to a linear track model. Analytical closed-form solutions are found in the frequency domain for arbitrary type of contact and numerically transformed to the time domain. Finally, the necessity is shown to avoid situations where transient multiple-point-contact may occur (like rail joints) in practice.     

客车动态翻滚试验仿真研究

分析了客车动态翻转试验的现状,并利用有限元模型对某大型豪华客车进行了动态翻滚仿真模拟试验。结合试验结果证明该方法合理正确,能够在一定程度上指导客车企业改进技术,提高安全性能。     

电控柴油喷射用电磁控制阀的改进

本文介绍了在系统地研究电磁控制阀动态响应特性的基础上研制的一种双向电磁控制阀，提出双点反馈的控制算法，并通过油泵台实验验证了该双向驱动方案的可行性。     

不同混合动力电动轿车方案的比较与分析

设计了同在离合器前与发动机的动力耦合的ISA并联、电机在离合器后变速器前与发动机的动力耦合的一般并联、类似于Prius的混联三种HEV方案。对这三种方案和原轿车的最高车速、原地起步加速特性等动力性指标和基于ECE＋EUDC的100km油耗和续驶里程等能量经济性指标及排施行性进行了仿真和分析。得到相应结论。     

三效催化剂快速老化方法与劣化强度的相关性研究

基于催化剂高温失活机理，分析了不同快速老化方法对催化剂劣化强度的影响，并在发动机台架上，分别利用国内外最常用的两种老化方法－－断油方法和ARL－102方法，对Pt-Rh三郊催化剂进行了１００h的快速老化试验，通过每老化２５h后的测试，考察了催化剂性能随老化时间的变化特性。文中还提出了考察三效催化剂劣化强度的评价指标。