SIMULATION BASED DESIGN FOR ACTIVELY CONTROLLED SUSPENSION SYSTEMS

Active and semi-active suspension systems are mechatronic systems that require a disciplined approach to synergistically combine the traditional engineering fields of mechanical, electronic, controls, power, systems, automotive, and suspension. Integrating suspension design is particularly challenging because it strongly interfaces with safety issues and driver perceptions, which are not easily optimized. Since 1993, the University of Texas Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM) has successfully developed high performance active suspension technology and systems for a wide range of military vehicles, including small tactical trucks (e.g., HMMWV), medium tactical trucks (e.g., LMTV), and hybrid electric tanks (e.g., BAE’s Lancer prototype). In addition to developing active suspension technology, UT-CEM has developed, refined, and validated an integrated simulation based design approach for controlled suspension systems that is the topic of this paper.