Department of Mechanical Engineering

Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

Vehicle Dynamics (MEng 6106)-Worksheet-5
1- Do the following for quarter car model including driver
as shown in the figure
a. Draw a complete free body diagram
b. Determine the equation of motion
c. Rewrite the equation of motion is matrix form

2- Do the following for quarter car model without driver

and its seat and ignore the damping effect of tire
a. Equation of motion in matrix form
b. Develop transfer function for sprung and
unsprung masses with step road roughness
𝑁
𝐹 𝑡>0
vibration input 𝑓(𝑡) = { 𝑜 𝑘𝑔
0 𝑡≤0
c. Develop transfer function for sprung and
unsprang masses with sinusoidal road
roughness vibration input 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐹 sin 𝜔𝑡

3- For question #2, determine the natural frequencies and

mode shapes if : Sprung mass, ms = 1085kg , Unsprung mass mu = 40kg, Stiffness of suspension spring, ks =
10000N/m, Shock absorber damping coefficient, cs = 800Ns/m. and Stiffness of tire, ku = 150000N/m
(Jazar, Ex-432 , Ex-461, 13.4)
4- The sprung parts of a passenger car weigh 11.I2 KN and the unsprung parts weight 890 N. The combined
stiffness of the suspension springs is 45.53 kN/m and that of the tires is 525.35 kN/m. Determine the two
natural frequencies of the bounce motions of the sprung and unsprung masses. And Calculate the
amplitudes of the sprung and unsprung parts if the car travels at a speed of 48 km/h (30 mph) over a road
of a sine wave form with a wavelength of 9.15 m and an amplitude of 5 cm. (Wong, 7.1)
5- For the following vehicle parameters:, Front suspension stiffness (ride rate)kf=35KN/m, Rear Suspension
stiffness (Rear ride rate),Kr=40KN/m, Sprung mass, ms=1600 kg, Radius of gyration, ry=1.2 m, distance
between the front axle and the vehicle C.G, a=1.5mand distance between the rear axle and the vehicle C.G,
b=1.8 m
a. Calculate the natural frequencies for pure bounce and the pure pitch motions
b. Determine the natural frequencies and oscillation center for coupled the bounce and pitch motion
(Dukkipati, Ex4.5 & 4.6)
6- Owing to the wide separation of the natural frequency of the sprung parts from that of the unsprung parts,
the bounce and pitch motions of the vehicle body and the wheel motions exist almost independently. The
sprung parts of a vehicle weigh 9.79 kN, its center of gravity is 106.7 cm behind the front axle, and the
wheelbase is 228.6 cm. The combined stiffness of the springs of the front suspension is 24.52 kN/m and
that of the rear suspension is 26.27 kN/m. The radius of gyration of the sprung parts about a horizontal
transverse axis through the center of gravity is 102.6 cm. Calculate the natural frequencies of the pitch and
bounce motions of the vehicle body. Determine the locations of the oscillation centers. If the radius of
gyration of the sprung parts of the vehicle can be varied, determine the conditions under which the
oscillation centers of the vehicle body will be located at the points of attachment of the front and rear
springs. Also calculate the natural frequencies of the sprung parts.
(Wong, 7.2& 7.4)
7- An independent front suspension of a passenger car carries a mass (sprung mass) of 454.5 kg. The
suspension spring rate is 22 kN/m. The mass of the tire/wheel assembly (unsprung mass) is 45.45 kg and
the equivalent tire stiffness is 176 kN/m. The damping ratio ξ of the suspension produced by the shock
absorber is 0.3. If the car is traveling on a sinusoidal road profile with a wavelength of 5 m and an amplitude
of 5 cm, estimate the lowest vehicle speed at which the tire may lose contact with the road.
(Wong, 7.2& 7.4)