Optimal Linear Active Suspensions with Vibration Absorbers and Integral Output Feedback Control

SUMMARY

The bandwidth of the body response to a road input in an active suspension may be considerably reduced if the axle motions are independently controlled and if, at the same time, the effects of static and dynamic loads are counteracted by integral action in the body force control system. The paper presents a further application of the Ferguson-Rekasius method, leading to optimal output control with incomplete state feedback. To achieve narrow bandwidth body response the support springs are replaced by hydraulic actuators, and vibration absorbers or active wheel dampers are employed for the control of the axle motions. Active wheel damping is the more effective and gives good results. Proportional-plus-integral control action is shown to reduce the transient body displacements due to external forces.     

Dynamic responses of a high-speed railway car due to wheel polygonalisation

The polygonal wear around the wheel circumference could pose highly adverse influences on the wheel/rail interactions and thereby the performance of the vehicle system. In this study, the effects of wheel polygonalisation on the dynamic responses of a high-speed rail vehicle are investigated through development and simulations of a comprehensive coupled vehicle/track dynamic model. The model integrates flexible slab track, wheelsets and axle boxes subsystem models so as to account for elastic deformations caused by impact loads induced by the wheel polygonalisation. A field-test programme was undertaken to acquire the polygonal wear profile and axle box acceleration response of a high-speed train, and the data are used to demonstrate the validity of the coupled vehicle/track system model. Subsequently, the effects of wheel polygonalisation are evaluated in terms of wheel/rail impact forces, axle box vertical acceleration and dynamic stress developed in the axle considering different amplitudes and harmonic orders of the polygonal wear. The results suggest that the high-order wheel polygonalisation can give rise to high-frequency impact loads at the wheel/rail interface, and excite some of the vibration modes of the wheelset and the axle box leading to high-magnitude axle box acceleration and dynamic stress in the wheelset axle.     

Modal Controllers for Active Steering of Railway Vehicles with Solid Axle Wheelsets

This paper presents the development of a modal control strategy for the active steering of solid axle railway vehicles and reveals benefits of actively stabilising the wheelsets of a railway vehicle. A modal decomposition is applied to a 2-axle railway vehicle to de-couple its body lateral and yaw motions and hence to allow more detailed analysis of the vehicle behaviour and more robust design of active controllers. Independent controllers for the two motions are developed based on the two de-coupled modes. Parameter variations such as creep coefficients and wheelset conicity are taken into account in the design process to guarantee a robust design. The study shows that, compared to a passive vehicle, the vehicles with actively steered wheelsets not only perform much better on a curved track, but also improve the ride quality on straight track. Computer simulations are used in the study to verify the development of the controllers and assess the system performance with the control scheme proposed.     

Modal Controllers for Active Steering of Railway Vehicles with Solid Axle Wheelsets

This paper presents the development of a modal control strategy for the active steering of solid axle railway vehicles and reveals benefits of actively stabilising the wheelsets of a railway vehicle. A modal decomposition is applied to a 2-axle railway vehicle to de-couple its body lateral and yaw motions and hence to allow more detailed analysis of the vehicle behaviour and more robust design of active controllers. Independent controllers for the two motions are developed based on the two de-coupled modes. Parameter variations such as creep coefficients and wheelset conicity are taken into account in the design process to guarantee a robust design. The study shows that, compared to a passive vehicle, the vehicles with actively steered wheelsets not only perform much better on a curved track, but also improve the ride quality on straight track. Computer simulations are used in the study to verify the development of the controllers and assess the system performance with the control scheme proposed.     

Influence of polygonal wear of railway wheels on the wheel set axle stress

The coupled vehicle/track dynamic model with the flexible wheel set was developed to investigate the effects of polygonal wear on the dynamic stresses of the wheel set axle. In the model, the railway vehicle was modelled by the rigid multibody dynamics. The wheel set was established by the finite element method to analyse the high-frequency oscillation and dynamic stress of wheel set axle induced by the polygonal wear based on the modal stress recovery method. The slab track model was taken into account in which the rail was described by the Timoshenko beam and the three-dimensional solid finite element was employed to establish the concrete slab. Furthermore, the modal superposition method was adopted to calculate the dynamic response of the track. The wheel/rail normal forces and the tangent forces were, respectively, determined by the Hertz nonlinear contact theory and the Shen–Hedrick–Elkins model. Using the coupled vehicle/track dynamic model, the dynamic stresses of wheel set axle with consideration of the ideal polygonal wear and measured polygonal wear were investigated. The results show that the amplitude of wheel/rail normal forces and the dynamic stress of wheel set axle increase as the vehicle speeds rise. Moreover, the impact loads induced by the polygonal wear could excite the resonance of wheel set axle. In the resonance region, the amplitude of the dynamic stress for the wheel set axle would increase considerably comparing with the normal conditions.     

Robust control and actuator dynamics compensation for railway vehicles

A robust controller is designed for active steering of a high speed train bogie with solid axle wheel sets to reduce track irregularity effects on the vehicle’s dynamics and improve stability and curving performance. A half-car railway vehicle model with seven degrees of freedom equipped with practical accelerometers and angular velocity sensors is considered for the H_∞ control design. The controller is robust against the wheel/rail contact parameter variations. Field measurement data are used as the track irregularities in simulations. The control force is applied to the vehicle model via ball-screw electromechanical actuators. To compensate the actuator dynamics, the time delay is identified online and is used in a second-order polynomial extrapolation carried out to predict and modify the control command to the actuator. The performance of the proposed controller and actuator dynamics compensation technique are examined on a one-car railway vehicle model with realistic structural parameters and nonlinear wheel and rail profiles. The results showed that for the case of nonlinear wheel and rail profiles significant improvements in the active control performance can be achieved using the proposed compensation technique.     

Optimal Linear Active Suspensions with Integral Constraint

This paper considers the application of linear optimal control to the design of an active automobile suspension system. By inclusion of an integral constraint in the performance index it is possible to achieve zero steady state axle to body response to both static body forces and ramp road inputs. Full state feedback is achieved by reconstructing the state variables from easily measured quantities.     

Independent Suspension, Self Steered Axle, and 4WS for Busses

The dynamic behavior of commercial vehicles fitted with differentr types of suspension mechanisms and steering devices is investigated in this paper. Six vehicle models have been constructed: 2WS-SA is a standard two wheel steering bus with solid axles; 2WS-DW is a 2WSA vehicle with independent double wishbone suspension in front and rear axles; SSA-SA is a 2WS system with solid axles, the rear one being mounted on a self steered mechanism; SSA-DW is a vehicle with independent double wishbone suspension in the front axle, and a solid self steered rear axle; 4WS-SA has four wheel steering with solid axles; and 4WS-DW is a 4WS vehicle with independent double wishbone suspension in front and rear axles. The dynamic response of these models has been assessed in terms of lateral acceleration, yaw velocity, tire forces, tire force reserves, and slip angles. The expected advantages of a 4WS system (higher acceleration rates and lower slip angles) will be corroborated but, at the same time, it will be shown that they are obtained at the cost of lower force reserves. Self steered mechanisms produce smaller body slip angles, but it will be shown that they give rise to larger yaw velocity overshootings. The particular independent suspension analyzed does not show significant improvements with respect to the solid axle counterpart.     

A study on high-speed rolling contact between a wheel and a contaminated rail

A 3-D explicit finite element model is developed to investigate the transient wheel–rail rolling contact in the presence of rail contamination or short low adhesion zones (LAZs). A transient analysis is required because the wheel passes by a short LAZ very quickly, especially at high speeds. A surface-to-surface contact algorithm (by the penalty method) is employed to solve the frictional rolling contact between the wheel and the rail meshed by solid elements. The LAZ is simulated by a varying coefficient of friction along the rail. Different traction efforts and action of the traction control system triggered by the LAZ are simulated by applying a time-dependent driving torque to the wheel axle. Structural flexibilities of the vehicle–track system are considered properly. Analysis focuses on the contact forces, creepage, contact stresses and the derived frictional work and plastic deformation. It is found that the longitudinal contact force and the maximum surface shear stress in the contact patch become obviously lower in the LAZ and much higher as the wheel re-enters the dry rail section. Consequently, a higher wear rate and larger plastic flow are expected at the location where the dry contact starts to be rebuilt. In other words, contact surface damages such as wheel flats and rail burns may come into being because of the LAZ. Length of the LAZ, the traction level, etc. are varied. The results also show that local contact surface damages may still occur as the traction control system acts.     

Force Control in Electrohydraulic Active Suspensjons

For a simple vehicle active suspension system complete optimality and zero steady state body displacements may be achieved if the axle and body accelerations, and other easily measured quantities, are included in the performance index. Apart from not requiring an observer, this also allows the optimal feedback gains to be determined for an arbitrary body spring rate. In a theoretical example, model parameters matching those of an experimental test rig are employed. The results of computer simulations, with and without an electrohydraulic servovalve and actuator, are compared to demonstrate the effects of inner loop gain on force control. Aspects of the system behaviour including lockup are commented upon.     

Further study on the wheel–rail impact response induced by a single wheel flat: the coupling effect of strain rate and thermal stress

A comprehensive dynamic finite-element simulation method was proposed to study the wheel–rail impact response induced by a single wheel flat based on a 3-D rolling contact model, where the influences of the structural inertia, strain rate effect of wheel–rail materials and thermal stress due to the wheel–rail sliding friction were considered. Four different initial conditions (i.e. pure mechanical loading plus rate-independent, pure mechanical loading plus rate-dependent, thermo-mechanical loading plus rate-independent, and thermo-mechanical loading plus rate-dependent) were involved into explore the corresponding impact responses in term of the vertical impact force, von-Mises equivalent stress, equivalent plastic strain and shear stress. Influences of train speed, flat length and axle load on the flat-induced wheel–rail impact response were discussed, respectively. The results indicate that the maximum thermal stresses are occurred on the tread of the wheel and on the top surface of the middle rail; the strain rate hardening effect contributes to elevate the von-Mises equivalent stress and restrain the plastic deformation; and the initial thermal stress due to the sliding friction will aggravate the plastic deformation of wheel and rail. Besides, the wheel–rail impact responses (i.e. impact force, von-Mises equivalent stress, equivalent plastic strain, and XY shear stress) induced by a flat are sensitive to the train speed, flat length and axle load.     

Steady-State Curving Performance of Railway Freight Truck with Damper-Coupled Wheelsets

The focus of this paper is on the steady-state curving behaviour of a freight car system with Damper Coupled Wheelset (DCW), where the wheels of conventional shape within an axle are coupled through a damper element. A freight truck model with two DCW and pseudo-car body on curved track is developed to study the influence of wheelset coupler parameter on the curving response and performance. The response is primarily evaluated in terms of wheelset tracking error and yaw misalignment in response to track curvature and cant deficiency. The curving performance is evaluated in terms of slip and flange boundaries. The results in general, indicate that when the value of coupler parameter is reduced, the wheelset response to track curvature increases, and results in flanging and wheel slip on a less tighter curve than those corresponding to conventional rigid axled wheelsets.     

A Pitch-Plane Model of a Vehicle with Controlled Suspension

A vehicle model incorporating front and rear wheel suspensions and seat suspension is presented. The suspension control includes algorithms to provide both dynamic and steady state (levelling) control. Vehicle response to (a) vertical inputs due to ground disturbances at the wheels and (b) longitudinal inputs due to the inertial forces during braking and accelerating, are investigated. It is shown that the static (self-levelling) control causes a slight deterioration in dynamic performance. The active ride control produces improvements of ride comfort under dynamic conditions compared to an equivalent passively suspended vehicle. In steady state the proposed control eliminates the error heave of the body caused by tilting of the vehicle with active suspension.     

Steady-State Curving Performance of Railway Freight Truck with Damper-Coupled Wheelsets

SUMMARY

The focus of this paper is on the steady-state curving behaviour of a freight car system with Damper Coupled Wheelset (DCW), where the wheels of conventional shape within an axle are coupled through a damper element. A freight truck model with two DCW and pseudo-car body on curved track is developed to study the influence of wheelset coupler parameter on the curving response and performance. The response is primarily evaluated in terms of wheelset tracking error and yaw misalignment in response to track curvature and cant deficiency. The curving performance is evaluated in terms of slip and flange boundaries. The results in general, indicate that when the value of coupler parameter is reduced, the wheelset response to track curvature increases, and results in flanging and wheel slip on a less tighter curve than those corresponding to conventional rigid axled wheelsets.     

The Calculation of the Vibrations of a Four-wheeled Vehicle, Induced by Random Road Roughness of the Left and Right Track

When applying the known power spectra of the random road roughness to the suspension behaviour of a four-wheeled vehicle, each of the four vertical input signals together with their related interdependence are to be considered, if exact results are to be obtained. The correlations are determined by way of calculation. The resulting roughness spectra of bounce, pitch, roll and torsional excitations will be applied to various vehicles, characterized by different design parameters. By means of a three-dimensional simulation model the virtual values of the random vehicle vibrations are calculated, while determining at the same time the influence of vehicle speed, waviness exponent, track width, wheel base, and axle design feature as well as the relationship between the vertical vibrations and the reference point in the vehicle body.     

HFF6127G03EV纯电动客车整车开发

简要介绍HFF6127G03EV纯电动客车整车的开发和高压电气件及驱动控制系统的设计;采用轮边电驱桥和铝合金车身等新技术、新材料,对整车匹配进行优化,以提高整车的动力性、安全性、节能和环保性能。     

路面载重车辆的荷载特征

在收集了我国公路上行驶的单、双后轴整车型的载重车辆轴载资料的基础上,参考国家现行轴限规定与轮胎型号等标准,从路面结构设计的角度上对轴载、轮胎气压、接地压力、轴型参数等荷载特征参数进行了整理分析,采用统计回归方法找到了特征参数的规律和相互关系,进而提出了供路面结构设计的轴型参数:双轮间距、轮距、轴距按额定轴载进行分级的建议表,以及以后轴额定轴载和轴载实载率为自变参量的轮胎接地压力的统一回归式和回归系数,讨论了现行沥青路面结构分析中双轮中心距取3倍荷载当量圆半径宜根据额定轴载和轴载实载率确定适用范围。此研究结果为提高路面结构分析精度提供了可靠的荷载特征参数依据。     

钢桥面UHPC铺装层的黏结性能试验研究

在钢桥面的铺装设计中,由于标高控制和自重控制要求,普通混凝土铺装层因厚度大、自重高难以满足设计要求,因此亟需薄厚度、高性能的铺装层,而超高性能混凝土(UHPC)是潜在可满足设计要求的铺装材料.但在循环交通荷载下,UHPC铺装层与钢板之间的黏结作用尚缺乏试验研究.研究开展了五点弯曲疲劳试验和剪切试验,研究UHPC钢桥面铺装层的黏结特性和抗疲劳破坏能力,并基于数值计算结果,将疲劳加载次数转换为标准轴载作用次数.研究发现,在标准车辆轮载作用下难以快速对试样产生损伤.即使试样黏结界面边缘开裂,稳定不变的变形也暗示裂缝并未扩展至内部,即试样内部损伤有限,仍然具有良好的承载力.含有栓钉的UHPC-钢桥面黏结界面的等效抗剪切强度为12.4 MPa左右,其破坏形式为栓钉的剪切破坏.UHPC与钢板之间协同作用十分显著,铺装后相对于无铺装的钢板刚度提升1倍左右.     

Experimental investigations on continuous regenerative anti-lock braking system of full electric vehicle

Functions of anti-lock braking for full electric vehicles (EV) with individually controlled wheel drive can be realized through conventional brake system actuating friction brakes and regenerative brake system actuating electric motors. To analyze advantages and limitations of both variants of anti-lock braking systems (ABS), the presented study introduces results of experimental investigations obtained from proving ground tests of all-wheel drive EV. The brake performance is assessed for three different configurations: hydraulic ABS; regenerative ABS only on the front axle; blended hydraulic and regenerative ABS on the front axle and hydraulic ABS on the rear axle. The hydraulic ABS is based on a rule-based controller, and the continuous regenerative ABS uses the gain-scheduled proportional-integral direct slip control with feedforward and feedback control parts. The results of tests on low-friction road surface demonstrated that all the ABS configurations guarantee considerable reduction of the brake distance compared to the vehicle without ABS. In addition, braking manoeuvres with the regenerative ABS are characterized by accurate tracking of the reference wheel slip that results in less oscillatory time profile of the vehicle deceleration and, as consequence, in better driving comfort. The results of the presented experimental investigations can be used in the process of selection of ABS architecture for upcoming generations of full electric vehicles with individual wheel drive.     

Stability enhancement and fuel economy of the 4-wheel-drive hybrid electric vehicles by optimal tyre force distribution

In this paper, vehicle stability control and fuel economy for a 4-wheel-drive hybrid vehicle are investigated. The integrated controller is designed within three layers. The first layer determines the total yaw moment and total lateral force made by using an optimal controller method to follow the desired dynamic behaviour of a vehicle. The second layer determines optimum tyre force distribution in order to optimise tyre usage and find out how the tyres should share longitudinal and lateral forces to achieve a target vehicle response under the assumption that all four wheels can be independently steered, driven, and braked. In the third layer, the active steering, wheel slip, and electrical motor torque controllers are designed. In the front axle, internal combustion engine (ICE) is coupled to an electric motor (EM). The control strategy has to determine the power distribution between ICE and EM to minimise fuel consumption and allowing the vehicle to be charge sustaining. Finally, simulations performed in MATLAB/SIMULINK environment show that the proposed structure could enhance the vehicle stability and fuel economy in different manoeuvres.