Implementation of Real Time Condition Monitoring of a Single Degree Freedom System Using Skyhook Control

The suspension systems can be generally classified into passive systems, semi active systems and active systems. Passive suspension have fixed stiffness and damping properties and designed for general excitations. Semi-active dampers are a class of energy dissipating device for which the damping may be controlled in real-time. This is achieved by either altering the properties of the damping fluid, as is the case for electro- and magneto-rheological dampers, or by actuating mechanical components of the damper. The purpose of this chapter is to provide the necessary background for this research. This paper will first discuss the tradeoffs associated with typical passive single-degree of- freedom base-excited suspension systems. The conceptual basis for skyhook control will be developed, along with the anticipated improvements in performance. Next, a practical realization of the semi active skyhook control will be developed such that it can be implemented. The work also involves implementing the Skyhook control system in order to control the base excited system. The response of the base excited system with skyhook control was analyzed and found to be in agreement with existing literature. A preliminary study of the response time and output stability of skyhook control was performed and reported. The results have been discussed both qualitatively and quantitatively.