Optimal design of MR shock absorber and application to vehicle suspension

This paper presents an optimal design of a magnetorheological (MR) shock absorber based on finite element analysis. The MR shock absorber is constrained in a specific volume and the optimization problem identifies geometric dimensions of the shock absorber that minimize a multi-objective function. The objective function is proposed by considering the damping force, dynamic range and the inductive time constant of the shock absorber. After describing the configuration of the MR shock absorber, a quasi-static modeling of the shock absorber is performed based on the Bingham model of an MR fluid. The initial geometric dimensions of the shock absorber are then determined based on the assumption of constant magnetic flux density throughout the magnetic circuit. The objective function of the optimization problem is derived based on the solution of the initial shock absorber. An optimization procedure using a golden-section algorithm and a local quadratic fitting technique is constructed via a commercial finite element method parametric design language. Using the developed optimization tool, optimal solutions of the MR shock absorber, which is constrained in a specific cylindrical volume defined by its radius and height, are determined. Subsequently, a quarter-car suspension model with the optimized MR shock absorber is formulated and the vibration control performance of the suspension is evaluated under bump and sinusoidal road conditions.

[1]  Seung-bok Choi,et al.  Control and Response Characteristics of a Magneto-Rheological Fluid Damper for Passenger Vehicles , 2000 .

[2]  Ion Stiharu,et al.  A new dynamic hysteresis model for magnetorheological dampers , 2006 .

[3]  Seung-bok Choi,et al.  Optimal design of magnetorheological valves via a finite element method considering control energy and a time constant , 2008 .

[4]  Walid H. El-Aouar.  Finite Element Analysis Based Modeling of Magneto Rheological Dampers , 2002 .

[5]  N. Wereley,et al.  Nondimensional analysis of semi-active electrorheological and magnetorheological dampers using approximate parallel plate models , 1998 .

[6]  Nicholas C. Rosenfeld,et al.  Volume-constrained optimization of magnetorheological and electrorheological valves and dampers , 2004 .

[7]  Olivier Sename,et al.  Skyhook and H8 Control of Semi-active Suspensions: Some Practical Aspects , 2003 .

[8]  Jian-Qiao Sun,et al.  Passive, Adaptive and Active Tuned Vibration Absorbers—A Survey , 1995 .

[9]  Faramarz Gordaninejad,et al.  Dynamic modeling of semi-active ER/MR fluid dampers , 2001, SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring.

[10]  Doyoung Jeon,et al.  Vibration Suppression in an MR Fluid Damper Suspension System , 1999 .

[11]  Nejat Olgac,et al.  A Novel Active Vibration Absorption Technique: Delayed Resonator , 1994 .

[12]  Cristiano Spelta,et al.  Mixed Sky-Hook and ADD: Approaching the Filtering Limits of a Semi-Active Suspension , 2007 .

[13]  B. G. Korenev,et al.  Dynamic Vibration Absorbers: Theory and Technical Applications , 1993 .

[14]  Davor Hrovat,et al.  An approach toward the optimal semi-active suspension , 1988 .

[15]  Seung-Ik Lee,et al.  A hysteresis model for the field-dependent damping force of a magnetorheological damper , 2001 .

[16]  Seung-Bok Choi,et al.  Control and response characteristics of a magnetorheological fluid damper for passenger vehicles , 2000, Smart Structures.

[17]  Shaopu Yang,et al.  Dynamic Modeling of Magnetorheological Damper Behaviors , 2006 .

[18]  H. Du,et al.  Finite Element Analysis and Simulation Evaluation of a Magnetorheological Valve , 2003 .

[19]  David C. Nemir,et al.  Semiactive Motion Control Using Variable Stiffness , 1994 .

[20]  Robert J. Bernhard,et al.  ADAPTIVE PASSIVE VIBRATION CONTROL , 1996 .

[21]  Seung-bok Choi,et al.  Geometry optimization of MR valves constrained in a specific volume using the finite element method , 2007 .

[22]  Wei-Hsin Liao,et al.  Vibration Control of a Suspension System via a Magnetorheological Fluid Damper , 2002 .

[23]  D. L. Margolis.  Retrofitting Active Control into Passive Vibration Isolation Systems , 1998 .

[24]  Seung-Bok Choi,et al.  A Sliding Mode Control of a Full-Car Electrorheological Suspension System Via Hardware in-the-Loop Simulation , 2000 .