Title: Experiences with simulating on-road heavy vehicle suspension behaviour using servo-hydraulics

Authors: John De Pont

Addresses: Senior Research Scientist, Industrial Research Limited, Brooke House, 24 Balfour Road, PO Box 2225, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract: A research programme investigating simulation of the on-road behaviour of heavy vehicle suspensions using a two post servo-hydraulic facility for the purposes of assessing ||road-friendliness|| is outlined. The first series of tests on a full trailer with multi-leaf steel springs were encouraging and have previously been reported. These tests have now been repeated on the same vehicle fitted with air suspension. Although an excellent match between the suspension displacements measured during on-road tests and those obtained during the laboratory simulations was achieved, there was a significant difference between the wheel forces measured in the two types of test. It was hypothesised that this was probably due to this suspension having a proportionately greater auxiliary roll stiffness than the previous suspension. To investigate this hypothesis, additional trials were conducted. Modifications were made to the vehicle support structure of the actuators and further testing conducted. The results of these tests are presented.

Keywords: dynamic wheel loads; road friendliness rating; road simulators; servo-hydraulic testing; suspension assessment; heavy vehicle suspensions; vehicle dynamic behaviour; heavy vehicles; simulation; wheel forces.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.1996.054555

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 1996 Vol.3 No.1/2/3/4, pp.127 - 139

Published online: 18 Jun 2013 *

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