Model-Based Design of Controlled Suspension Incorporating Ride Comfort Sensory Performance Model for Vibration during Vehicle Driving

The aim of this study was to build a model-based design tool that allows multidisciplinary teams to design vehicle performance targets using an easily understandable common index during the conceptual design phase of vehicle ride comfort performance. The newer a system is in the conceptual design stage without a prototype, the more difficult it is to describe its performance and impact on the vehicle. The originality of this study lies in the proposal of an understandable design tool for the social implementation of new technology, referred to as the multidisciplinary optimization (MDO) and “1DCAE” design concept. More specifically, the subject is the conceptual design of a unique electronically controlled damper system. A model-based development tool was developed, and numerical analysis was performed based on the following approach. A sensory performance model was constructed using a function that relates the acceleration RMS value of the vehicle body to a 10-point sensory evaluation scale. The sensory performance model was coupled with a vehicle control model and formulated as a nonlinear optimization problem to maximize the sensory score prediction. The numerical analysis results showed that the performance of the four suspension systems can be expressed in an abstracted and understandable overall ride comfort score. Insights regarding the usefulness of this tool can enable effective design based on easily understandable sensory metrics.