SEMI ACTIVE DAMPING OF THE CAR

Jiří Vondřich
Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of
Electric Drives and Traction, Group Mechatronic

Abstract
The model of the car consists of a stiff chassis, front and rear axles, springs, dampers and
wheel disks with tires. The vehicle wheels running on uneven road. Semi active systems
can only change the viscous damping coefficient of the damper, and do not add energy to
the suspension system. Though limited in their intervention, semi active suspensions are
less expensive to design and consume far less energy. In recent times, research in semi-
active suspensions has continued to advance with respect to their capabilities, narrowing
the gap between semi active and fully active suspension systems.

1 System model
Model vehicles running on uneven roads is shown in Fig. 1

Figure 1: Scheme and model of automobile wheel moved on the rough road
The equations of motion of the model are
m2 &x&2 = ( x1 − x2 ) k 2 + ( x&1 − x& 2 )b2 , (1)

m1&x&1 = − ( x1 − x2 ) k 2 − ( x&1 − x& 2 )b2 + ( d t − x1 ) k1 + ( d&t − x&1 )b1. (2)

The SIMULINK scheme of the model is in Fig.2.

x2
Xa_Out1
F F_In2
Xac_Out2
1 inputp
acceleration of chassis
Input dt dt v a_Out3 du/dt

v ac_damper
surface of B
road B_In4
Xc
switch model of damper system

1
v ac B2
0.001s+1
transport delay simle model
of sensor computing of B2
of solenoid

Figure 2: SIMULINK scheme of the model of the complete system

 >=
S ig n a l
G e n e ra t o r1 R e l a ti o n a l
1
O p e ra t o r
v st u p 0 .1 7 0

F 1
F S w i tc h

0
Ram p1

2
Ram p xd
M u l t i p o rt
S w i tc h

Ram p2

Ram p3

S ig n a l
G e n e ra t o r

Figure 3: SIMULINK scheme of the surfaces of roadway

The SIMULINK scheme of the model of wheel and chassis parallel interlinked with damper and
spring is in Fig.4.
1 xa 1
s
Xa_Out1

3 va_Out3

k B_In4
3

1 1
1 F_In2 1/m2
s
s

Fac

v_a
v_ac

s
1 1
x_ac 1/m1 5
4 vac_tlumic s s
Xc

v_c

Fcd

xcd
šasi---disk Xac_Out2
v_cd 1
2 k1
s
vd

B1
2 du/dt
xd_vozovka
Derivative

Figure 4: Model of wheel and chassis parallel of interlinked with damper and spring
 2 Model of the controller
The parameter of damping constant moves between two parameters b2 and b2min. The damper on
the chassis power inductive of acceleration of the chassis size of A, which is (g) is concluded by the
passive damping. If the acceleration is A=0, the damping is constant maximal, b2. By the size of the
acceleration A=1, it is g=9,81 ms-2 is the damping constant b2= b2min. The damping constant has
between this interval linear proportional dependence. If is A> g, damping constant b2= b2min.
The SIMULINK scheme of the controller of the damping constant b2 is in Fig.5.

vac
1 |u| 1
B
Abs Look-Up Table

[ 0 vac_k 1/eps ]
-----------------------
[ B Bmin Bmin ]

Figure 5: SIMULINK scheme of the controller of the damping constant b2

3 Results
In the Fig.6 and Fig.7 dependences of the deviation and acceleration of the chassis on the time
for alternative passive and semi active damping and moving the wheel on the square-wave pulse are
shown.
In the Fig.8 and Fig.9 dependences of the deviation and acceleration of the chassis on the time
for alternative passive and semi active damping and moving the wheel on
positive part of sine wave is shown.

0.07
semiactive damping
pasive damping 60
0.06 road surface
semiactivedamping
0.05 50 pasivedamping
acceleration[m/s 2]

0.04 40
x2[m]

0.03 30

0.02 20

0.01 10

0 0

-0.01 -10
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 0.99 1 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04
t[s]
t[s]
Figure 6: Time dependence deviation of chassis Figure 7: Time dependence acceleration of chassis
(square wave-pulse) (square wave-pulse)
 0.03

0.025
s em iac tive dam ping
pas ive dam ping
0.02 road s urfac e
x2[m]

0.015

0.01

0.005

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
t[s ]

Figure 8: Time dependence deviation of the chassis (positive part of sine wave)

20
s e m ia c t ive d a m p in g
p a s ive d a m p in g
15

10
accelation[m/s ]
2

-5

-1 0

-1 5

-2 0

-2 5
1 .0 2 1 .0 4 1 .0 6 1 .0 8 1 .1 1 .1 2 1 .1 4 1 .1 6
t[s ]

Figure 9: Detail of time dependence acceleration of chassis (positive part of sine wave)

4 Conclusion
At the semi active damping the amplitude of oscillation is smaller as at the passive
damping. The results depend on the exactness of numerical solution. This exactness is
possible to set up in SIMULINK on card Simulation-Parameters-Solver.
The semi active suspension system consists of a spring, where the shock is equipped with
a control unit to automatically adjust damping coefficient. Unlike active suspension does not
power generator power and the suspension is semi active cheaper than active. Proceedings
semi active suspension of their cars is used to reduce the dynamic forces at the tire caused by
random road bumps. For semi active control is only remove power. This eliminates the risk of
destabilization in many cases it is possible to achieve better results than a purely passive
solutions.

References

[1] J. P. Den Hartog. Mechanical Vibrations. Mc GuAW Company, New Your, 1947.

Jiří Vondřich, Technická 2, 166 27 Prague 6, vondrich@fel.cvut.cz