Modeling and Analysis of Full

Vehicle Suspension System

University of Waterloo
Department of Mechanical Engineering
ME 610: Analytical Vibration
Fall 2005

Ayhan Ince
Adrian Wong
Purpose

 To model and analyze a full vehicle

suspension model (7 DOF)

ME 610 Presentation.
Presentation Outline
 Background
 Introduction
 Modeling Approach
 Modeling and Analysis
 Results
 Conclusion
 Recommendations
 Questions

ME 610 Presentation.
Background

 Suspension System
– Improve Ride Quality
– Good Road Handling
Depending on
– Vertical Motion (Heave) of Vehicle Body
– Angular Motions (Pitch and Roll) of
Vehicle Body

ME 610 Presentation.
Introduction
 Most of vehicle suspension models
are 1 DOF to 4 DOF (half vehicle)
– Easier to model and implement
– Large volume of technical research on topic
available
However
– They ignore the roll motion of the vehicle
– Thus, incapable of determining torsional
rigidity of the vehicle

ME 610 Presentation.
Introduction
 To capture the dynamic phenomenon
of heave, pitch, and roll requires a full
vehicle suspension model.

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling Approach
 Generalized full vehicle suspension model

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling Approach

 Full vehicle suspension model has 7

degrees of freedom (DOF)
 Unsprung mass (i.e. wheel hubs)
each have 1 DOF (vertical motion)
 Sprung mass has 3 DOF (Heave,
Pitch and Roll Motion)

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling Approach
 Assumptions are:
– Suspension and tires are described by
constant damping and spring stiffness
– Vehicle Body represented by
concentrated mass at CoG and rotation
inertia about CoG
– Wheel hubs represented by
concentrated mass at CoG

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 To create simulation model of full
vehicle suspension system:
– Determine the equations of motion for 7
DOF (2nd order)
– Decouple the equations of motion into
14 first ordinary equations
– Use numerical methods to provide
solutions from decoupled equations
– Animate model using the solutions

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
SIMULATION
SYSTEM FULL VEHICLE GENERATED
EQUATIONS MODEL RESULTS
DISPLACEMENT

MATLAB &
MAPLE VELOCITY
Simulink / VR

ANIMATION

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 The 7 equations of motion are:

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 The 7 equations of motion are (cont):

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 Mass Matrix

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 Damping Matrix

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 Stiffness Matrix

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 Eigenvalues and Natural Frequencies

Heave

Roll

Pitch

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 Eqigenvectors and Mode Shapes

ME 610 Presentation.
Modeling and Analysis
 The 14 1st order equations are:

ME 610 Presentation.
Results
 Parameters for results generated are:
– Road input is sinusoidal with frequency = 5 rad/s
– Base Amplitude = 0.15 m
– a = 1.5m
– b = 1.5m
– w1,2 = 1m
– Velocity = 20 m/s
– Delay between front and rear = (a+b)/vel
– Delay between left and right = π/2

ME 610 Presentation.
Results
 Results generated from full vehicle
suspension model using prescribed
parameters

ME 610 Presentation.
Results
 Magnitude plot for sprung mass motion
Heave Magnitude versus Frequency

0.7 Peak at approx. 9

radian/s
0.6

0.5
Amplitude (m)

0.4
heave
0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Frequency (radian/s)

ME 610 Presentation.
Results
 Magnitude plot for sprung mass motion
Pitch and Roll Magnitude versus Frequency

0.35 Peak at approx.

16 radian/s
0.3
Amplitude (radian)

0.25
Peak at approx.
0.2 pitch
11 radian/s
0.15 roll

0.1

0.05

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Frequency (radian/s)

ME 610 Presentation.
Results
 Animation of Model

ME 610 Presentation.
Conclusion
 Full vehicle suspension model is generic
 The generalized parameters of the full
vehicle suspension model allows for:
– Optimization of ride quality
– Optimization of handling capabilities
 Current model is utilized as a vehicle
shaker table.

ME 610 Presentation.
Recommendations
 Increase full vehicle suspension
model capabilities by:
– Including tire lift-off and suspension
travel limits
– Develop a complete road handling
capable vehicle model
– Introduce control logic capabilities for
possible active and semi-active
suspension

ME 610 Presentation.
Questions
 Thank you for attending

ME 610 Presentation.