An ARX Model-Based Predictive Control of a Semi-Active Vehicle Suspension to Improve Passenger Comfort and Road-Holding

Abstract

Passenger comfort and vehicle stability are key aspects that must be guaranteed on ground vehicles, and semi-active suspensions have offered an outstanding solution to meet these opposite objectives. This contribution describes a novel autoregressive with exogenous input (ARX) model-based predictive control strategy handled by a driver block applied on a semi-active vehicle suspension to improve passenger comfort and road holding when compared against a passive vehicle suspension system and another more complex control designs reported in the literature. The ARX model employs a driver block to reduce the computational load of the closed-loop semi-active suspension. In addition, the controller’s formulation and the case study consider the actuator’s physical constraints to achieve more realistic results. This case-study includes a one-quarter semi-active suspension with two degrees-of-freedom, and the numerical data comes from a real magnetorheological damper characterization. The results, in frequency-domain and time-domain, are measured based on specific performance criteria. A substantial improvement against a passive suspension is quantified and discussed. For a broader perspective of the findings, the results are compared against another reported work. This research effort could be the basis of further studies to achieve more robust solutions such as adaptive/optimal predictive controllers to improve vehicle’s comfort and stability.

Neural Network Modeling and Dynamic Analysis of Different Types of Engine Mounts for Internal Combustion Engines

“…Automotive suspensions can be classified into three different groups: passive, semiactive and active. This classification is given according to the suspension force on the system [21]. It is called passive when the suspension force comes only from the springs and dampers.…”

“…In this type of system, all parameters are fixed and depend on the type of material, design and project. In semi-active suspensions, the damping component can vary its magnitudes within a range through the insertion of external energy [21,22]. Generally, data from sensors and a control system are used to vary the actuation force within certain limits.…”

“…Generally, data from sensors and a control system are used to vary the actuation force within certain limits. In the active system, sensors and controllers are also used; however, the system must always remain active because there are no base values [21]. These systems are generally more complex and costly to maintain.…”

Passenger-Oriented Intelligent Suspension with a Biodynamic Model and Skyhook Control

“…The performance criteria in frequency-domain were adapted from those explained in [15]. Regarding the passenger, displacements and accelerations performance criteria are applied for the target mass, i.e., head, upper torso, lower torso, and legs.…”

Novel Strategy of Adaptive Predictive Control Based on a MIMO-ARX Model

“…By including an adaptation mechanism in the predictive controller, the APC can adjust the parameters of the predictive model and minimize the impact of the process dynamics related to the unknown disturbances in and time-varying nature of industrial processes. This approach has been implemented and documented in different application fields, such as automobile suspesion systems, oil field, aerospace and others [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11].…”