Simulation assessment of the half-power bandwidth method in testing shock absorbers

Abstract

The work deals with usability of the half-power bandwidth method in the diagnostic testing of automotive shock absorbers. In all the simulation tests, the front and rear suspension system of a present-day medium-classmotor car was considered. At the first stage, calculations were made in the frequency domain for a linear “quarter-car” model with two degrees of freedom; then, simulations were carried out in the time domain with using a similar but strongly nonlinear model. In the latter case, actual characteristics (corresponding to those obtained from test rig measurements) of shock absorber damping, suspension and tire elasticity, sliding friction in the suspension, and “wheel hop” were considered. The calculations were carried out every time for twelve levels of viscous damping in the suspension system, which made 48 calculation series in total. The factors of gain in the vertical force between the tester’s vibration plate and the vehicle tire (relative to the input force applied) and the dimensionless coefficients of viscous damping in the suspension system, determined by the half-power bandwidth method, were thoroughly analyzed. The calculation results were presented in graphical form. Attention was also paid to the distortions caused by the force of inertia of the tester’s vibration plate.

Keywords

• suspension
• damping coefficient
• peak-picking method