An improved active suspension yaw rate control

Abstract

The authors previously (2002) gave an insight into the full vehicle suspension model. They proposed a truly decoupled model for the full vehicle suspension consisting of 4 subsystems. The first 3 ones are completely decoupled single input single output systems. They are analogous to, and may be seen as virtual, quarter car suspension models. The fourth subsystem is one for an abstract variable called /spl gamma/ which insures a rational distribution of the 3 virtual suspension efforts to the 4 real ones. The present communication we use this modeling result to propose a new yaw rate control using the active suspension. We first show how /spl gamma/ is related to the yaw rate. Next we reduce the yaw rate control problem to the regulation of a ratio of the front normal forces over the rear ones. The setpoint in this regulation chosen in order to obtain a so-called neutral car. The control design is illustrated through simulations.