Enhancing Active Suspension Control: A Fuzzy Logic Approach to Mitigate Chattering

This paper investigates the challenges of chattering and actuator delay observed in the control of an active suspension system using a quarter-car model and a Sliding Mode Controller (SMC). Chattering, characterized by rapid and high-frequency control signal oscillations, can compromise ride comfort and system stability. Additionally, the presence of a delay between the control output and the hydraulic actuator response further complicates the control strategy. To address these issues, a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) is introduced as a supplementary control layer to the existing SMC. The output of the SMC, denoted as U_smc, serves as one input to the FLC, while the difference between U_smc and its previous value is utilized as another input. The FLC, designed with appropriate fuzzy sets and rules, aims to smooth out the control signal, reducing chattering, and compensating for the actuator delay. Simulation results are presented to compare the performance of the system with and without FLC under varying road profiles and disturbance conditions. The FLC adjustment demonstrates its effectiveness in mitigating chattering, providing a smoother control signal, and improving the overall performance of the active suspension system. The findings suggest that the integration of Fuzzy Logic with the Sliding Mode Controller offers a promising solution to enhance the robustness and stability of active suspension systems, especially in scenarios where chattering and actuator delays are prevalent.