Theoretical Analysis of Active Suspension Performance Using a Four-Wheel Vehicle Model

Abstract

Techniques for obtaining control laws for an active suspension implemented at all four wheel stations of a vehicle are outlined. It is shown that the classical optimal control law based on full state feedback can be replaced by one that involves limited state feedback—omitting, in particular, the ground input information—and that may involve measurement errors. Performance of this system is almost as good as that of the full state feedback system and is much more attractive in terms of its practical implementation. Previous work, much of which has been based on the quarter car model, is extended so that the performance indices may include body roll, body pitch, seat lateral acceleration and lateral and fore/aft dynamic load transfer.