Road-Holding and Ride Performance Optimization Using Bee’s Algorithm

This paper provides a method for optimal synthesis of the passenger cars suspension system to obtain the best road-holding as well as ride-comfort characteristics. The longitudinal vehicle model consists of sprung and unsprung masses, tire-ground interaction model, and suspension system kinematics. Defining the non-dimensional parameters the equations of motion of the system are derived in the non-dimensional form. Several objective functions are defined for the optimization of road-holding and ride comfort characteristics based on the transient and steady-state response of the sprung mass, respectively. The optimization variables are position of instant centers of rotation of the wheels with respect to the sprung mass. Bee’s algorithm is used to obtain the solutions of the problem. The best position for the instant centers of front and rear suspension linkages are obtained and compared with 100% anti-squat line.Copyright © 2011 by ASME