Optimal Design and Dynamic Performance Analysis of Vehicle Suspension Employing an Eccentric Inerter

Abstract

This paper concerns the dynamic performance analysis of the vehicle ISD (inerter-spring-damper) suspension employing an eccentric inerter. Firstly, the quarter car model of the two basic vehicle suspension layouts involving an eccentric inerter, namely, the series-connected layout and the parallel-connected layout, is established. Then, by considering the overall performance such as the vehicle body acceleration, the suspension working space, and the dynamic tire load, the key parameters of the two suspensions are optimized by using the genetic algorithm. Simulation analysis results indicate that the series-connected vehicle ISD suspension is superior to the parallel-connected one, and all of the RMS values of the body acceleration, the suspension working space, and the dynamic tire load are decreased significantly by comparing to the conventional suspension, while the improvement of the parallel-connected vehicle ISD suspension is relatively poor. At last, the impact of the flywheel eccentricity and the screw pitch on the dynamic performance indices of the two suspensions is discussed, and the trade-offs among the three performances are analyzed, which will provide a guide method for the suspension design when considering the eccentric factor.