Full vehicle road testing of magnetorheological-based intelligent suspension for sport utility vehicle

Vibration control in intelligent vehicle suspensions utilizing magnetorheological (MR) dampers has been paid increasing attention. However, a practical real-time controller with easy implementation for sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and experimental validation have not been fully developed. To address this issue, the present study proposes a novel control algorithm for SUVs equipped with double wishbone MR-based intelligent suspensions. This algorithm directly calculates the desired current for the MR suspension based on vehicle sensor signals, eliminating the need for a complex inverse model of the MR damper and associated force tracking challenges. Firstly, the working principle of MR suspension systems is discussed, followed by experimental investigations of the dynamic behavior of a manufactured MR fluid (MRF) damper. Next, a controller designed to balance comfort and attitude compensation for full-vehicle vibration suppression is proposed. Its control effectiveness for vertical comfortability is validated by a quarter SUV-vehicle with a double wishbone MR damper, and finally its effectiveness for vertical and attitude mitigation is evaluated through comprehensive practical road testing of an SUV across various road profiles. The results demonstrate significant reductions in vehicle body acceleration, pitch, and roll angles when utilizing the proposed controller. This research provides a straightforward control algorithm for mitigating vertical motion and improving the dynamic responses of SUV vehicles with MR-based intelligent suspension systems.