Multibody model based estimation of multiple loads and strain field on a vehicle suspension system

Abstract This work proposes an augmented extended Kalman filter based state-input estimator for mechanical systems defined by implicit equations of motion which is then applied to estimate the six wheel center loads and the strain field on a vehicle suspension test rig. Implicit equations of motion typically arise in the definition of flexible multibody models and also in their time resolution, because implicit time-discretization schemes are normally employed to obtain a stable solution. The presented methodology can be applied to such case and analytical expressions are derived for the necessary linearizations, providing the means for a computationally efficient estimation procedure. The six wheel center loads and the strain field on a vehicle suspension system are valuable quantities during the vehicle design phase (e.g. for durability analysis), hence they are often directly measured during elaborate full vehicle testing campaigns. This work demonstrates that a flexible multibody model representation allows to accurately reconstruct the time domain signals of the six loads and of the full strain field, starting from a minimal set of six measured strains, hence providing an appealing alternative to direct measurement methods. The experimental validation on the suspension test rig shows that all estimated quantities can be accurately reconstructed, given that the system simulation model incorporates an adequate level of accuracy.