Title: Optimization of characteristics of elasto-damping elements of cars from the aspect of comfort and handling

Authors: M. Demic

Addresses: Associate Professor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 34000 Kragujevac, Yugoslavia

Abstract: Negative effects of oscillatory motions of a vehicle on ride comfort and handling are reduced by optimising the characteristics of the elasto-damping elements. The optimisation reported here was carried out by using the vehicle model with linear and nonlinear characteristics of the elasto-damping elements (springs, shock absorbers, tyres and stabiliser) and modified Hooke-Jeeves method. The modifications were made to enable the problem of optimisation of the characteristics of elasto-damping elements to be solved in the presence of Constraints on the values of the optimising parameters of the vehicle within appropriate defining ranges. The adopted objective function provided for simultaneous minimisation of vertical oscillations and roll motion of he suspended mass, and of the normal dynamic road reactions for a vehicle that moves along a straight line with constant velocity and influence of the random lateral wind and a driver which through the driving system acts on driving wheels with random function. Possibilities for application of the developed optimisation method are illustrated by means of a case study involving a middle range car.

Keywords: coordinate systems; elasto-damping; equations of motion; forces; Hooke-Jeeves method; optimisation; oscillations; shock absorbers; tyres; springs; stabilisers; ride comfort; vehicle handling; road surface; vehicle vibration; vehicle design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1991.061711

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1991 Vol.13 No.1, pp.29 - 46

Published online: 27 May 2014 *

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