Design, Development and Enhancement of Suspension Systems Using Diverse Control Mechanisms for Performance Comparison

Abstract

The study examines the extent of improvement achieved through various control approaches employed in active suspension systems. Real time adaptive suspension systems are stressed in terms of their enhanced possibilities of providing enhanced ride comfort, better vehicle responses and enhanced stability. This study uses the use of quarter car model, utilizing numerical and Simulink/MATLAB modeling to evaluate and analyze the results of P, PI, PD, PID, Fuzzy PID, and Fuzzy Logic controllers in controlling ride comfort, with a focus on displacement, velocity, and acceleration indices under various conditions. The study shows that the active suspension systems, and particularly those with the PID and Fuzzy PID controllers have a strong impact on wheel displacement, on dynamics of the car and passengers’ comfort. More specifically, active systems showed 10.71% higher values of the vertical body displacement and 20% less settling time as compared to the base systems. The study found that active suspension systems mainly PID and FPID were effective ways of improving the control strategies, reducing the oscillations, the movements of the vehicle and thus the impact on passengers and providing better ride comfort.