3rd BSME-ASME International Conference on Thermal Engineering 20-22 December2006, Dhaka

THE SUSPENSION DYNAMIC ANALYSIS FOR A QUARTER CAR MODEL AND HALF CAR MODEL Ahmad Faheem, Firoz Alam and Varikan Thomas
School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia S3076309@student.rmit.edu.au

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the responses of the quarter car and a half car model as the vehicle ride performance is generally assessed at the design stage by simulating the vehicle response to road excitation. This requires the development of a vehicle model to analysis its responses. The disturbances from the road are assumed to be constant or step function and the time responses and frequency responses of the sprung and unsprung masses have been studied. Simple yet, in practice, meaningful state-space formulations of the optimal suspension control problem for a half-car 2-D and 4-D vehicle model are given. Using an efficient equivalent representation, a complete analytical solution of the system was obtained. The optimal solution here is the damping, which has been optimised with the given set of fixed parameters. This paper provides an insight on the suspension dynamics of the two most extensively used models in vehicle dynamics with their complete state space realisation, simulated using the MATLAB platform. Key words: quarter car model, half car model, sprung mass, unsprung mass. 1. INTRODUCTION The performance of the suspension system is typically rated as to provide improved passenger comfort and avoid hitting it suspension travel limits. The main target of the suspension system is to isolate the car body from the road disturbances. According to Pollard and Simon [1], the ride comfort can be defined according to axis and angular acceleration of front and rear car body, therefore the numerical axis and angular acceleration must be minimise in order to attain higher ride comfort. In this paper, a simulation code was developed based on the MATLAB platform to analyse the system responses, namely displacement and frequency for sprung masses and unsprung masses and to suggest the optimised damping for the specific car data used for simulations. As the vehicle dynamics is concerned with controllability and stability of automobile, it is important in the design of a ground vehicle. The modelling of the vehicle with the analysis of the dynamic response of the mathematical model has been examined in a large number of previous investigations [2]. In these studies, three typical models (7 Degree of Freedom Full car model, 4 Degree of Freedom Half Car Model, and 2 Degree of Freedom Quarter Car Model have been developed with researches related to the study of dynamic behaviour of vehicle and its vibration control which are shown in Figure 1. The simplest representation of a ground vehicle is a quarter-car model with a spring and a damper connecting the body to a single wheel, which is in turn connected to the ground via the tyre spring, see [3] and [4]. As shown in fig. 1(a), the mass representing the moving parts such as wheel, tyre, brakes and part of the suspension linkage mass, is referred to as the unsprung mass and the relatively fixed parts such as car body mass is known as sprung mass. The quarter-car model is used only when the heave motion needs to be considered. A half-car model is shown in fig. 1(b). It is a two wheel model (front and rear)

for studying the heave and pitch motions ([5], [6] and [7]). This four degree-of-freedom model allows the study of the heave and pitch motions with the deflection of tyres and suspensions. Quarter Car and Half Car model have been used for this analysis. This paper focuses on mathematical modelling of suspension system, and its dynamic analysis to identify the inputs and state variables. Secondly, the paper also focuses on optimisation of the damping coefficient of the suspension system for desired performance characteristics.

(a) Figure 1

(b) (c) (a) Quarter Car, (b) Half Car and (c) Full Car [13]

2. SYSTEM MODEL AND DYNAMICS The model of a quarter car and half car suspension systems are shown in fig. 2(a) and fig. 2(b) ([7], [8], [9] and [10]). The vehicle suspension models are represented as a linear system. They consist of a single sprung mass (car body) connected to two unsprung masses (front and rear wheel assembly masses) at each comer. The sprung mass is free to heave and pitch, while the unsprung masses are free to bounce vertically with respect to the sprung mass. The suspensions between the sprung mass and unsprung masses are modeled as linear viscous dampers and spring elements, while the tyres are modeled as simple linear springs without damping components in half car model while in quarter car model damping is also included for tyre.

Figure 2. Simplified quarter car model (a) and half car model (b) 2.1 QUARTER CAR ANALYSIS The governing equations for the quarter model dynamic analysis are shown in Eqs. (1) & (2),

Ms X s + Cs ( X s X u ) + Ks ( Xs Xu ) = 0

(1) (2)

mXu +Cs(Xu Xs) +Ct(Xr Xu) Kt(Xu Xs) + Ks (Xu Xs) = 0 .

These can be written in state space as,

 0 CsCt Xs Msm Xs = Ct Y1 Y2 m Kt m

0 Cs Cs Cs Ct Ks 0 Ms Ms+ m + m Ms 0 Cs Cs Ct Ms m m Ks Ks Kt Ms m m

0 Ks Ms 1 0

0 Xs CsCt Msm Xs + Cs [Xr] Y1 m Y2 Kt m

Xs Xs Y = [1 0 0 0] +[0] [Xr] Y1 Y2

2.2 HALF CAR ANALYSIS The half car suspension dynamics has been represented in Matrix form as,
X1 X2 X 3 X4 X5 X 6 X7 X8
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 AK AC AK AC BK BC BK f f f f r r r 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Kf Cf (Kf + Ktf) Cf 0 0 0 mf mf mf m f 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 BKf BC DK BK f BC f f DK r DC r r 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (K + K ) Kr Cr 0 0 0 0 r tr m m m r r r 0 X BC r X 0 X 0 X 0 X DC f X 1 Cr X m X r

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

0 0 0 0 0 0 A B 0 0 0 0 Ktf 1 0 0 mf 0 0 0 0 B C 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ktr 1 0 m 0 m r r

ff fr X rf Xrr

X1 X 2 X3 ff f X4 r Y= [1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0] + [0 0 0 0] X5 Xrf X6 Xrr X 7 X8

(3)

 ff f The matrix r is an input matrix. The inputs are active forces ( f f and f r ) and road X rf X rr disturbances are X rf and X rr . While writing a program the active forces have not been considered. So, Y which is used for simulation can be written as, X1 X 2 X3 X4 X rf Y= [1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0] + [0 0 0 0] X5 X rr X6 X 7 X8

(4)

With this mathematical model, the response of all 8 - state variables can be obtained using MATLAB.
3. SIMULATION RESULTS

For simulation real values of the suspension system parameters are taken, as to obtain responses that are close to real conditions (for more details see [11] and [12]). The simulation data for quarter car model is: Ms =329 Kg, m =31 Kg, Ks = 23622 N/m, Kt = 212108 N/m, Ct = 207 N.s/m, in this study [11]; the experimental work was performed to obtain the dynamic responses of the suspension which are identical to the responses obtained in this paper, and data for half car model selected for this study is [12], a = 1.38 m, b = 1.36 m, K f = K r = 16812 N/m, K tr = K tf = 190000 N/m, M s = 575 Kg , mr = m f = 60 Kg, J =768 Kg/m3. The simulation time is selected in such a way that peak and settling of the response can be studied properly. The other simulation factors for the quarter car and half car models are: simulation time = 3 s, 2.5 s and road input = 10 cm, 10 cm respectively.
3.1 QUARTER CAR MODEL

The amplitude response of the sprung mass at Cs = 2000, 2500 and 3000 N.s/m is shown in fig. 3. It can be noted that amplitude is decreasing with respect to time. Also the settling time is dropped to around 1.2 seconds. So, there is drop in overshoot with decrease in settling time. If the damping is increased further, it is seen that settling time is decreasing with very less drop in overshoot, which is undesirable for good ride and handling of the vehicle. Responses for unsprung mass were also simulated damping value ranging between 2000 3000 N.s/m as shown in fig. 4. It was suggested that for used parameters of half car model the optimum range of the damping is between 2500 -3000 N.s/m. Also Frequency response was derived in this damping range as shown in fig. 5. When damping value is large Cs > 3000 N.s/m, the amplitude ratio equals to natural frequency of Sprung mass which is desirable, but the bandwidth is large which means small rise time and small settling time, and

suspension will behave like a solid bar instead of absorbing shock loads. But at Cs = 2000 N.s/m bode diagram has got reasonable bandwidth and amplitude ratio. So it is the optimised damping value.
Am plitude Response of Sprung mass 0.16 Cs=3000 0.14 Cs=2500 Cs=2000 0.12
0.1 0.12 0.14 Cs=3000 Cs=2500 Cs=2000 Amplitude Response of Unsprung Mass

0.1 A m p litu d e
A m p litu d e 0.08

0.08

0.06

0.06
0.04

0.04

0.02

0.02

0.5

1.5 time (sec)

2.5

0.5

1.5 time (sec)

2.5

Figure 3. Amplitude Response of Quarter Car Model Sprung Mass

Figure 4. Amplitude Response of Quarter Car Model for Unsprung Mass

Frequency Response of Suspension 20 Cs=1000 10 M agnitude (dB) 0 -10 -20 -30 0 -45 Phas e (deg) -90 -135 -180 -225 10
0

Cs=2000 Cs=3000

10

10

Frequency (rad/sec)

Figure 5. Frequency Responses for Sprung Mass for Quarter Car Model
3.2 HALF CAR MODEL

As discussed in section 2, the entire 8- state variable for half car dynamics can be simulated to suggest optimal damping value for the suspension. In Figures 6 and 7, the responses of only 4- state variables (Front Sprung and Unsprung Masses & Rear Sprung and Unsprung Masses) are obtained at C r = C f = 1500 N.s/m. As it can be seen, the responses are identical because mr = m f and X rf = X rr . It was found at this damping value there is drop in peak amplitude with decrease in settling time.

Amplitude Response of Front Sprung and Unsprung Masses

Rear Sprung Mass and Unsprung Mass Displacement 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.1 M agn itude 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0 -0.02

0.16 0.14 0.12 0.1

M a g n itu d e

Sprung Mass Unsprung Mass

Unsprung Mass Sprung Mass

0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0 -0.02

0.5

1
time (sec)

1.5

2.5

0.5

1 time (sec)

1.5

2.5

Figure 6. Amplitude Responses for Front Sprung and Unsprung Masses for Half Car Model
5. CONCLUSIONS

Figure 7. Amplitude Responses for Rear Sprung and Unsprung Mass

The following conclusions were made for the work presented here: Quarter and Half car models can successfully be used to analyse the suspension system responses to road inputs but accuracy of the results obtained will depend on how accurately and effectively the system parameters have been measured (Eg. sprung mass, unsprung mass, stiffness and damping). Using the models analysed in this work, the system responses with different road excitations can be obtained. With different set of sprung mass, unsprung and stiffness etc, the suitable damping value can be obtained.
NOMENCLATURES

m Unsprung mass [kg], Ks Coefficient of suspension stiffness [N/m], C s Suspension Damping [N.s/m] , Kt Tyre stiffness [N/m], Ct Tyre damping [N.s/m], Xs Sprung mass displacement [m], Xu Unsprung mass displacement [m], Xr Road displacement [m], X sf front body displacement [m], X sr - rear body displacement [m], X uf -front wheel displacement [m], X ur - rear wheel displacement [m], X - displacement of centre of gravity [m], X rr - rear road disturbance [m], X rf - front road disturbance [m], a - distance between centre of gravity and front axle [m], b - distance between centre of gravity and rear axle [m], F f - equivalent force in front wheel [N], Fr - equivalent force in rear wheel [N], f f - front force input [N], fr rear force input [N], K f - front spring stiffness [N], K r -rear spring stiffness [N/m], K tr - rear tyre stiffness [N/m], K tf - front tyre stiffness [N/m], M s - sprung mass [kg], mr - rear unsprung mass [kg], m f - front unsprung mass [kg], - angle of pitch [rad], C r - rear damping coefficient [N.s/m], C f - front damping coefficient [N.s/m], C tr - rear tyre damping coefficient [N.s/m], C tf -Front Tyre Damping coefficient [N.s/m] , J -Centroidal moment of inertia of sprung mass [kg/m3], r -Radius of Gyration [m].

REFERENCES

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