Output feedback H ∞/GH 2 preview control of active vehicle suspensions: a comparison study of LQG preview

This study concerns with multi-objective H _∞/GH ₂ preview control of active vehicle suspensions. This control scheme has two main aspects: first, it allows constrained outputs of the system to vary freely as long as they remain within their given bounds, in order that the best possible performance could be delivered. Secondly, the optimisation as well as constraint fulfilment is done for the worst-case road disturbances to cover all road types. To design a system to perform satisfactorily for a wide range of road irregularities, H _∞-norm is used wherever minimisation is required, and generalised H ₂-norm is used to care for the constraints on suspension working space. Moreover, to ensure desired stability margins for the system, pole location constraints are considered in the design. The proposed approach is evaluated on a quarter-car model and compared with the state-of-the-art preview control algorithm in the literature, namely, Linear quadratic Gaussian preview. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

Linear matrix inequality based control of vehicle active suspension system

Linear matrix inequality (LMI) methods, novel techniques in solving optimisation problems, were introduced as a unified approach for vehicle's active suspension system controller design. LMI methods were used to provide improved and computationally efficient controller design techniques. The active suspension problem was formulated as a standard convex optimisation problem involving LMI constraints that can be solved efficiently using recently developed interior point optimisation methods. An LMI based controller for a vehicle system was developed. The controller design process involved setting up an optimisation problem with matrix inequality constraints. These LMI constraints were derived for a vehicle suspension system. The resulting LMI controller was then tested on a quarter-car model using computer simulations. The LMI controller results were compared with an optimal PID controller design solution. The LMI controller was further tested by incorporating a nonlinear term in the vehicle's suspension model; the LMI's controller degraded response was enhanced by using gain-scheduling techniques. The LMI controller with gain-scheduling gave good results in spite of the unmodelled dynamics in the suspension system, which was triggered by large deflections due to off-road driving.     

Optimisation of active suspension control inputs for improved vehicle handling performance

Active suspension is commonly considered under the framework of vertical vehicle dynamics control aimed at improvements in ride comfort. This paper uses a collocation-type control variable optimisation tool to investigate to which extent the fully active suspension (FAS) application can be broaden to the task of vehicle handling/cornering control. The optimisation approach is firstly applied to solely FAS actuator configurations and three types of double lane-change manoeuvres. The obtained optimisation results are used to gain insights into different control mechanisms that are used by FAS to improve the handling performance in terms of path following error reduction. For the same manoeuvres the FAS performance is compared with the performance of different active steering and active differential actuators. The optimisation study is finally extended to combined FAS and active front- and/or rear-steering configurations to investigate if they can use their complementary control authorities (over the vertical and lateral vehicle dynamics, respectively) to further improve the handling performance.     

Coordinated control strategies for active steering,differential braking and active suspension for vehicle stability,handling and safety improvement

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a coordinated control strategy is proposed to provide an effective improvement in handling stability of the vehicle, safety, and comfortable ride for passengers. This control strategy is based on the coordination among active steering, differential braking, and active suspension systems. Two families of controllers are used for this purpose, which are the high order sliding mode and the backstepping controllers. The control strategy was tested on a full nonlinear vehicle model in the environment of MATLAB/Simulink. Rollover avoidance and yaw stability control constraints have been considered. The control system mainly focuses on yaw stability control. When rollover risk is detected, the proposed strategy controls the roll dynamics to decrease rollover propensity. Simulation results for two different critical driving scenarios, the first one is a double lane change and the other one is a J-turn manoeuvre, show the effectiveness of the coordination strategy in stabilising the vehicle, enhancing handling and reducing rollover propensity.     

Utilisation of optimisation solutions to control active suspension for decreased braking distance

This work deals with how to utilise active suspension on individual vehicle wheels in order to improve the vehicle performance during straight-line braking. Through numerical optimisation, solutions have been found as regards how active suspension should be controlled and coordinated with friction brakes to shorten the braking distance. The results show that, for the studied vehicle, the braking distance can be shortened by more than 1?m when braking from 100?km/h. The applicability of these results is studied by investigating the approach for different vehicle speeds and actuator stroke limitations. It is shown that substantial improvements in the braking distance can also be found for lower velocities, and that the actuator strokes are an important parameter. To investigate the potential of implementing these findings in a real vehicle, a validated detailed vehicle model equipped with active struts is analysed. Simplified control laws, appropriate for on-board implementation and based on knowledge of the optimised solution, are proposed and evaluated. The results show that substantial improvements of the braking ability, and thus safety, can be made using this simplified approach. Particle model simulations have been made to explain the underlying physical mechanisms and limitations of the approach. These results provide valuable guidance on how active suspension can be used to achieve significant improvements in vehicle performance with reasonable complexity and energy consumption.     

State of the art survey: active and semi-active suspension control

This survey paper aims to provide some insight into the design of suspension control system within the context of existing literature and share observations on current hardware implementation of active and semi-active suspension systems. It reviews the performance envelop of active, semi-active, and passive suspensions with a focus on linear quadratic-based optimisation including a specific example. The paper further discusses various design aspects including other design techniques, the decoupling of load and road disturbances, the decoupling of pitch and heave modes, the use of an inerter as an additional design element, and the application of preview. Various production and near production suspension systems were examined and described according to the features they offer, including self-levelling, variable damping, variable geometry, and anti-roll damping and stiffness. The lessons learned from these analytical insights and related hardware implementations are valuable and can be applied towards future active or semi-active suspension design.     

车辆主动悬架自适应模糊PID控制

针对车辆悬架系统的动态特性,将现代控制理论运用于主动悬架控制,提出一种新的控制策略———自适应模糊PID控制,并通过仿真验证了其可行性及有效性。这种新型智能控制策略为车辆主动悬架控制理论的研究提供了一条新思路。     

Switched control of vehicle suspension based on motion-mode detection

This paper presents a study on switched control of vehicle suspension based on motion-mode detection. This control strategy can be potentially implemented via the interconnected suspension such as hydraulically interconnected suspension by actively switching its interconnection configuration in terms of the dominant vehicle body motion-mode. The design of the switched control law is developed focusing on three vehicle body motion-modes: bounce, pitch, and roll. At first, an H_∞ optimal controller will be designed for each motion-mode with the use of a common quadratic Lyapunov function, which guarantees the stability of the switched system under arbitrary switching functions. Then, a motion-mode detection method based on the calculation of the motion-mode energy is introduced. And then, the possible implementation of the control system in practice is discussed. Finally, numerical simulations are used to validate the proposed study.     

Non-fragile multi-objective static output feedback control of vehicle active suspension with time-delay

This paper presents an approach to design a delay-dependent non-fragile H_∞/L₂–L_∞ static output feedback (SOF) controller for active suspension with input time-delay. The control problem of quarter-car active suspension with actuator time-delay is formulated to a H_∞/L₂–L_∞ control problem. By employing a delay-dependent Lyapunov function, new existence conditions of delay-dependent non-fragile SOF H_∞ controller and L₂–L_∞ controller are derived, respectively, in terms of the feasibility of bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs). Then, a procedure based on linear matrix inequality optimisation and a hybrid algorithm of the particle swarm optimisation and differential evolution is used to solve an optimisation problem with BMI constraints. Design and simulation results of non-fragile H_∞/L₂–L_∞ controller for active suspension show that the designed controller not only can achieve the optimal performance and stability of the closed-loop system in spite of the existence of the actuator time-delay, but also has significantly improved the non-fragility characteristics over controller perturbations.     

Pro-active optimal control for semi-active vehicle suspension based on sensitivity updates

This article suggests a strategy to control semi-active suspensions of vehicles in a pro-active way to adapt to future road profiles. The control strategy aims to maximise comfort while maintaining good handling properties. It employs suitably defined optimal control problems in combination with a parametric sensitivity analysis. The optimal control techniques are used to optimise the time-dependent damper coefficients in an electro-rheological damper for given nominal road profiles. The parametric sensitivity analysis is used to adapt the computed nominal optimal controls to perturbed road profiles in real time. The method is particularly useful for events with a low excitation frequency such as ramps, bumps, or potholes. For high-frequency excitations standard controllers are preferable; so we propose a switched open–closed-loop controller design. Various examples demonstrate the performance of the approach.     

Heavy duty vehicle rollover detection and active roll control

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive study on heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) roll stability improvement technology. The proposed rollover threat warning system uses the real-time dynamic model-based time-to-rollover (TTR) metric as a basis for online rollover detections. Its feasibility for implementation in a HDV rollover threat detection system is demonstrated through vehicle dynamic simulation studies. The research on the development of a rollover threat detection system is further enhanced in combination with an active roll control system using active suspension mechanism to improve heavy-duty trucks’ roll stability both in the static cornering and in emergency maneuvers. It has been demonstrated that the roll stability of typical heavy-duty trucks has been largely improved by the proposed active safety monitoring and control system.     

基于扰动观测的智能驾驶主动抗扰纵向车速控制算法

为了减少智能驾驶车辆的纵向车速控制的时滞,提高主动抗扰性,提出一种基于扰动观测的纵向车速控制算法,并进行了实车验证。模型中,采用前馈控制模块,并提前输出控制量,来提高车速跟随的响应性;以主动抗扰控制(ADRC)模块作为反馈环节,采用扩张状态观测器(ESO)在线估计内外部扰动,并在控制端进行补偿,实现了对车速的精确闭环控制。在弯道、环岛等路况下进行了实车实验。结果表明:该算法可以在5 s内控制车速从怠速快速跟踪到目标车速,总体平均误差为0.17 km/h。因而,该算法较传统的比例积分微分(PID)有更好的响应性、控制精度和抗扰性。     

Application of observer-based fault detection in vehicle roll control

This paper describes how observer-based techniques for intelligent fault detection were applied to monitoring an active suspension control system in an experimental articulated heavy vehicle. The aim was to define a practical method for detecting faults, taking into account the nonlinearities of the vehicle. The experimental vehicle was divided conceptually into subsystems, namely the passive dynamics of the trailer, the dynamics of the hydraulic actuators, and the expected response of the closed-loop system. A linear dynamic model was designed for each subsystem. A fault detection observer was then designed for each dynamic model. The observer feedback gains were chosen to optimise estimation by the observer residual of specified errors on the output measurements. The observer residuals were then normalised and combined logically to provide a fault diagnosis. The performance of the fault detection scheme is demonstrated in the case of sensor faults and changes in the operation of the active control system.     

Semi-active control of tracked vehicle suspension incorporating magnetorheological dampers

In past years, the application of magnetorheological (MR) and electrorheological dampers in vehicle suspension has been widely studied, mainly for the purpose of vibration control. This paper presents theoretical study to identify an appropriate semi-active control method for MR-tracked vehicle suspension. Three representative control algorithms are simulated including the skyhook, hybrid and fuzzy-hybrid controllers. A seven degrees-of-freedom tracked vehicle suspension model incorporating MR dampers has been adopted for comparison between the performance of the three controllers. The model differential equations are derived based on Newton's second law of motion and the proposed control methods are developed. The performance of each control method under bump and sinusoidal road profiles for different vehicle speeds is simulated and compared with the performance of the conventional suspension system in time and frequency domains. The results show that the performance of tracked vehicle suspension with MR dampers is substantially improved. Moreover, the fuzzy-hybrid controller offers an excellent integrated performance in reducing the body accelerations as well as wheel bounce responses compared with the classical skyhook and hybrid controllers.     

Impact of inerter nonlinearities on vehicle suspension control

This paper discusses the nonlinear properties of inerters and their impact on vehicle suspension control. The inerter was recently introduced as an ideal mechanical two-terminal element, which is a substitute for the mass element, where the applied force is proportional to the relative acceleration across the terminals. Until now, ideal inerters have been applied to vehicle, motorcycle and train suspension systems, in which significant performance improvement was achieved. However, due to the mechanical construction, some nonlinear properties of the existing mechanical models of inerters are noted. This paper investigates the inerter nonlinearities, including friction, backlash and the elastic effect, and their influence on vehicle suspension performance. A testing platform is also built to verify the nonlinear properties of the inerter model.     

Vehicle dynamics control using an active third-axle system

This paper introduces the active third-axle system as an innovative vehicle dynamic control method. This method can be applicable for different kinds of three-axle vehicles such as buses, trucks, or even three-axle passenger cars. In this system, an actuator on the middle axle actively applies an independent force on the suspension to improve the handling characteristics, and hence, its technology is similar to slow-active suspension systems. This system can change the inherent vehicle dynamic characteristics, such as under/over steering behaviour, in the linear handling region, as well as vehicle stability in the nonlinear, limit handling region. In this paper, our main focus is to show the potential capabilities of this method in enhancing vehicle dynamic performance. For this purpose, as the first step, the proposed method in both linear and nonlinear vehicle handling regions is studied mathematically. Next, a comprehensive, nonlinear, 10 degrees of freedom vehicle model with a fuzzy control strategy is used to evaluate the effectiveness of this system. The dynamic behaviour of a vehicle, when either uncontrolled or equipped with the active third axle is then compared. Simulation results show that this active system can be considered as an innovative method for vehicle dynamic control.     

Actively controlled vehicle suspension with energy regeneration capabilities

The paper presents an innovative dual purpose automotive suspension topology, combining for the first time the active damping qualities with mechanical vibrations power regeneration capabilities. The new configuration consists of a linear generator as an actuator, a power processing stage based on a gyrator operating under sliding mode control and dynamics controllers. The researched design is simple and energetically efficient, enables an accurate force–velocity suspension characteristic control as well as energy regeneration control, with no practical implementation constraints imposed over the theoretical design. Active damping is based on Skyhook suspension control scheme, which enables overcoming the passive damping tradeoff between high- and low-frequency performance, improving both body isolation and the tire's road grip. The system-level design includes configuration of three system operation modes: passive, semi–active or fully active damping, all using the same electro-mechanical infrastructure, and each focusing on different objective: dynamics improvement or power regeneration. Conclusively, the innovative hybrid suspension is theoretically researched, practically designed and analysed, and proven to be feasible as well as profitable in the aspects of power regeneration, vehicle dynamics improvement and human health risks reduction.     

Inverse neuro-fuzzy MR damper model and its application in vibration control of vehicle suspension system

In this paper, a magneto-rheological (MR) damper-based semi-active controller for vehicle suspension is developed. This system consists of a linear quadratic Gauss (LQG) controller as the system controller and an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) inverse model as the damper controller. First, a modified Bouc–Wen model is proposed to characterise the forward dynamic characteristics of the MR damper based on the experimental data. Then, an inverse MR damper model is built using ANFIS technique to determine the input current so as to gain the desired damping force. Finally, a quarter-car suspension model together with the MR damper is set up, and a semi-active controller composed of the LQG controller and the ANFIS inverse model is designed. Simulation results demonstrate that the desired force can be accurately tracked using the ANFIS technique and the semi-active controller can achieve competitive performance as that of active suspension.     

Comparing rear wheel steering and rear active differential approaches to vehicle yaw control

A comparison between two different approaches to vehicle stability control is carried out, employing a robust non-parametric technique in the controller design. In particular, an enhanced internal model control strategy, together with a feedforward action and a suitably generated reference map, is employed for the control of a vehicle equipped either with a rear wheel steering (RWS) system or with a rear active differential (RAD) device. The uncertainty arising from the wide range of operating conditions is described by an additive model set employed in the controller design. Extensive steady state and transient tests simulated with an accurate 14 degrees of freedom nonlinear model of the considered vehicle show that both systems are able to improve handling and safety in normal driving conditions. RAD devices can make the vehicle reach higher lateral acceleration values but they achieve only slight stability improvements against oversteer. On the other hand, 4WS systems can greatly improve both vehicle safety and manoeuvrability in all driving situations, making this device an interesting and powerful stability system.     

Unscented Kalman filter for vehicle state estimation

Vehicle dynamics control (VDC) systems require information about system variables, which cannot be directly measured, e.g. the wheel slip or the vehicle side-slip angle. This paper presents a new concept for the vehicle state estimation under the assumption that the vehicle is equipped with the standard VDC sensors. It is proposed to utilise an unscented Kalman filter for estimation purposes, since it is based on a numerically efficient nonlinear stochastic estimation technique. A planar two-track model is combined with the empiric Magic Formula in order to describe the vehicle and tyre behaviour. Moreover, an advanced vertical tyre load calculation method is developed that additionally considers the vertical tyre stiffness and increases the estimation accuracy. Experimental tests show good accuracy and robustness of the designed vehicle state estimation concept.