Title: Integrated vehicle ride and steady-state handling control via active suspensions

Authors: Jun Wang, David A. Wilson, Wenli Xu, David A. Crolla

Addresses: Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China. ' School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. ' Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK

Abstract: In this paper, an integrated controller for a full-vehicle active suspension system is designed to simultaneously improve vehicle ride comfort and steady-state handling performance. First, the suspension and handling sub-system models and the nonlinear relationship between tyre normal load and lateral force are described. Next, the link between suspension model and steady-state handling characteristics is analysed. Then, based on the analysis, an H_∞ controller is designed for the suspension sub-system to achieve integrated ride comfort and handling performance control. Finally, the controller is verified through computer simulations in frequency- and time-domains.

Keywords: active suspension; integrated control; ride comfort; steady-state handling; vehicle design; vehicle control; handling control; tyre normal load; lateral force; simulation; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2006.010435

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2006 Vol.42 No.3/4, pp.306 - 327

Published online: 21 Jul 2006 *

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