Vibration control of vehicle suspension system featuring ER shock absorber

This paper presents vibration control responses of a passenger vehicle equipped with continuously controllable electrorheological (ER) shock absorbers. As a first step, ER shock absorbers are designed based on the damping force levels and mechanical dimensions required for a middle-sized passenger vehicle. This is accomplished using a graphic user interface (GUI)-based design program which is developed for automotive ER application devices. After evaluating the field-dependent damping force property and controllability on the design program, ER shock absorbers are manufactured and incorporated with the suspension of the quarter vehicle prior to the road test. A skyhook control algorithm is formulated and experimentally realized for the quarter vehicle ER suspension system. Subsequently, the middle-sized passenger vehicle equipped with four ER shock absorbers (two for front parts and two for rear parts), high voltage amplifies and sensors is prepared and road test is undertaken under various road conditions. Control responses are evaluated in both time and frequency domains.