The Influence of Damper Top Mount Characteristics on Vehicle Ride Comfort and Harshness: Parametric Study

The current paper addresses the relationship between the damper top mount characteristics and the ride comfort and harshness of a vehicle. A detailed mathematical damper top mount model which can simulate the vertical force characteristics of damper top mounts is developed and verified with actual tests. The amplitude and frequency dependent parameters of the damper top mount model are extracted from experimental testing of a commercial damper top mount. In order to identify the model parameters, a new procedure based on a two-stage optimization routine using two sets of measurement data for the amplitude and frequency dependent parameters is proposed. The damper top mount model is validated by comparing the measured force of the damper top mount with the simulated force of the proposed model. The developed top mount model is then implemented into a quarter vehicle simulation model for studying the influence of damper top mount characteristics on vehicle ride comfort and harshness. Laboratory tests have been performed with a quarter vehicle test rig in order to verify the vehicle model. A parametric simulation analysis has been performed by varying the characteristics of the damper top mount model. The results of the parametric analysis demonstrate the effect of the damper top mount characteristics on the ride comfort and harshness of a vehicle.