Velocity and load dependent dynamic shock absorber friction at stationary conditions

When it comes to vehicle vertical dynamics, the characteristics of shock absorbers are of high importance. With the increasing use of active suspension systems, it becomes possible to adapt the hydraulic damping force to the road event, while the friction force is not controllable. As a result, friction becomes more relevant and can negatively affect passenger ride comfort. In many mechanical applications, it is observed that friction in lubricated sliding conditions is velocity and load dependent. In contrast, shock absorber friction, and therefore suspension friction, is commonly considered as quasi-static, i.e. characterised by a constant potential. Since the shock absorber is predominantly in motion over a wide velocity range, it is necessary to improve the understanding of friction characteristics especially in the dynamic domain. In this study, modified valve-free shock absorbers are presented that allow the observation of dynamic friction properties experimentally. As not covered by previous studies, the effect of side force (load) as a main parameter to increase friction is investigated. It is observed that its effect varies significantly with velocity and alters the stationary friction-velocity curve, also known as the Stribeck curve. In addition, the shape of the Stribeck curve depends strongly on the shock absorber's oil volume. These novel results emphasise a substantial, interdependent influence of load and velocity on the (elasto-)hydrodynamic properties of the dynamic shock absorber friction force, which was not identified in the literature. The dynamic friction force exceeds the quasi-static friction force multiple times, and also exceeds the hydraulic damping force for considerable side forces in the lower velocity range up to 60 mm/s. Consequently, the total shock absorber force under presence of side force is determined. The findings can be used to improve active suspension control or to improve vehicle simulation by enabling the parametrisation of dynamic shock absorber friction models.