Title: Robust controller design for active suspensions using particle swarm optimisation

Authors: H.M. Soliman, M.A. Awadallah, M. Nadim Emira

Addresses: Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt. ' Department of Electrical Power and Machines, Faculty of Engineering, University of Zagazig, Zagazig 44111, Egypt. ' Yanbu Industrial College, PO Box: 30436, Yanbu Al-Sinaiya 21477, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract: The paper presents a design technique for a fixed-structure PD robust controller of car active suspension systems. The design takes into consideration the uncertainty of system parameters, particularly tyre stiffness and body mass. Robustness is achieved by tuning the controller over a set of operating conditions covering the whole range of system parameters, e.g., body mass and tyre stiffness. Particle swarm optimisation (PSO) is used to attain different performance objectives of the system. Settling time of body displacement is minimised, system damping is maximised, and actuator saturation is avoided via control effort reduction. The design of controller parameters is cast in a multi-objective non-linear optimisation problem, and described to ensure the best possible performance. Simulation results show the superiority of the proposed system relative to the classical passive suspension, and signify robustness of the active controller design.

Keywords: active suspension; robust control; particle swarm optimisation; PSO; controller design; vehicle suspensions; tyre stiffness; automotive body mass; settling time; body displacement; system damping; actuator saturation; automobile industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2008.021776

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2008 Vol.5 No.1, pp.66 - 76

Published online: 03 Dec 2008 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article