Experimental study on the double-skyhook controls of semi-active suspension with variable inertance and damping

Abstract

As a conventional control approach, the skyhook damping control algorithm can respond to changes in road circumstances but not to those in load circumstances. The skyhook inertance control algorithm, a newly developed control approach, may adapt to changes in load circumstances rather than in road circumstances. The recent introduction of double-skyhook control algorithms has allowed vehicle suspension systems to accomplish both load and road adaptation. This paper presents an experimental investigation contrasting the performance of the double-skyhook configuration to that of the traditional skyhook damper configuration and the skyhook inerter configuration. By integrating the double-skyhook control strategy with semi-active devices with variable inertance and damping, the paper proposes two strategies for coordinating skyhook inertance and skyhook damping control. A controller using the double-skyhook control strategy is designed to employ the Development to Production rapid control prototyping platform. The controller mode is adjusted using MotoTune software to implement control methods. Three tests were conducted under various road conditions, load conditions, and impact conditions for semi-active suspension. Test results indicate that the double-skyhook configuration considerably enhances driving comfort compared to the single-skyhook configuration. Moreover, the greater the deterioration of road conditions and the decrease in load, the more pronounced the enhancement.