Test and Simulation of Nonlinear Dynamic Response for the Twin-Tube Hydraulic Shock Absorber

In this paper, a method of virtual prototyping vehicles with twin-tube hydraulic shock absorbers is developed. The non-linearity of the absorber is studied based on multi-body system dynamics in the ADAMS environment. The unsymmetrical nonlinear hysteretic loop of the velocity characteristics is more accurate and practical than the piecewise linear representation typically used for shock absorber models. In conjunction with the practical geometric and physical parameters and motion restrictions for a car suspension system, the current virtual prototype is employed for dynamic simulation analyses of the absorber, and the numerical results are able to more closely match those obtained from the bench test. The current virtual prototype is validated and can be used as a subsystem for the optimal design of the shock absorber to match the whole car.