ABSTRACT
Active suspension is commonly considered under the framework of vertical vehicle dynamics control aimed at improvements in ride comfort. This paper uses a collocation-type control variable optimization method to analyze to which extent the fully active suspension (FAS) application can be broaden to the tasks of vehicle handling/cornering control and braking distance reduction. The emphasis is on integrated control systems, where the FAS control action supports other actuators such as active brakes and active steering. The analysis is extended to the ride control task for the case of emphasized, discrete road disturbances such as high-magnitude bumps and potholes. The main control objective is to provide a favorable trade-off of ride comfort and road holding capability, as well as a robustness against wheel damage, e.g. at the pothole trailing edge. The optimization is based on a nonlinear 10-DOF vehicle dynamics model, including a combined-slip tire model, and it is subject to various, generally nonlinear equality and inequality constraints.
