Title: Effects of control techniques and damper constraint on the performance of a semi-active magnetorheological damper

Authors: K. Hudha, H. Jamaluddin, P.M. Samin, R.A. Rahman

Addresses: Vehicle Dynamics Control Research Group, Division of Automotive Development Center, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. ' Vehicle Dynamics Control Research Group, Division of Automotive Development Center, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. ' Vehicle Dynamics Control Research Group, Division of Automotive Development Center, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. ' Vehicle Dynamics Control Research Group, Division of Automotive Development Center, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

Abstract: Semi-active dampers change their damping force in real time by simply changing the damping coefficient according to a control policy. In this study, a number of semi-active control algorithms namely modified skyhook, modified groundhook and modified hybrid skyhook-groundhook controllers are evaluated to be used with a magnetorheological damper. The effectiveness of these control algorithms in disturbance rejection are investigated along with their ability to consistently provide the target force in the same direction with the damper velocity to overcome the damper constraint. From the simulation and experimental results, the modified hybrid skyhook-groundhook controller shows significant improvement in body acceleration, body displacement, suspension displacement without allowing excessive wheel acceleration magnitude. The modified hybrid skyhook-groundhook controller is also superior to the counterparts in overcoming the damper constraint by producing the target forces consistently in the same sign with the damper velocity.

Keywords: damper constraints; quarter car; modified groundhook; modified hybrid skyhook-groundhook; modified skyhook; magnetorheological dampers; semi-active dampers; damping coefficient; disturbance rejection; simulation; vehicle suspension; damper velocity; semi-active control; semi-active suspension.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVAS.2005.008235

International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, 2005 Vol.3 No.2/3/4, pp.230 - 252

Published online: 25 Nov 2005 *

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