Conventional and non-conventional smart damping systems for ride control

This paper analyses, from a control perspective, two physically different dampers for the semi-active control of ride: the magnetorheological damper ('conventional') and the friction damper ('non-conventional'). An in-depth analysis will show that the latter damper has modelling and control analogies with the magnetorheological damper and has the potential to be a low-cost alternative to a controlled viscous damper in particular areas of application. A general variable structure algorithm targeted to achieve ride control has been designed and implemented on both dampers. A variety of automotive applications have been investigated to offer a more well-rounded vision of the applicability of such dampers.