A NONLINEAR RUBBER SPRING MODEL FOR VEHICLE DYNAMICS ANALYSIS

Abstract A nonlinear, dynamic rubber spring model is proposed. It mainly aims at representing the mechanical behaviour of rubber suspension components in vehicle dynamics. The model is one-dimensional, has five parameters and is based on a superposition of elastic, friction and viscous forces. Comparisons between model and measurement results for harmonic excitations show good agreement. The model represents a reasonable compromise between accuracy and computational effort and should be a suitable tool in vehicle dynamics analysis.