Multiphysics modelling of multibody systems: application to car semi-active suspensions

Abstract The goal of the present article is to analyse the performances of a modern vehicle equipped with a novel suspension system linking front, rear, right and left cylinders via a semi-active hydraulic circuit, developed by the Tenneco Automotive company. In addition to improving the vehicle's vertical performances (in terms of comfort), both the stiff roll motion of the carbody and the soft wrap motion of the rear/front wheel-axle units can be obtained and tuned via eight electrovalves. The proposed system avoids the use of classical anti-roll bars, which would be incompatible with the wrap performance. A major problem of the project is to produce a realistic and efficient 3D multibody dynamic model of an Audi A6 coupled, at the equational level, with an hydraulic model of the suspension including cylinders, accumulators, valve characteristics, oil compressibility and pipe dynamics. As regards the hydraulic submodel, a particular attention is paid to assemble resistive components properly without resorting to the use of artificial volumes, as proposed by some software dealing with the dynamics of hydraulic systems. According to Tenneco Automotive requirements, this model must be produced in a Matlab/Simulink form, in particular for control purposes. Thanks to the symbolic approach underlying our multibody program; a unified hybrid model can be obtained as a unique plant dynamic block to be real-time integrated in the Simulink environment on a standard computer. Simulation results highlight the advantages of this new suspension system, in particular regarding the behaviour of the car which can remain stiff in roll for curve negotiation, while maintaining a soft wrap behaviour on uneven surfaces. Keywords: multibody dynamicsmultiphysics modellingcar suspension Acknowledgements This research work has been carried out in close collaboration with Peter Boon and Bert Vandersmissen from the Belgian company Tenneco Automotive (Sint-Truiden, Belgium): they are gratefully acknowledged. It has also been supported by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS), which is also acknowledged. Notes KineticTM suspension technology. One-way valves. Through the cylinder orifices (i.e. pipe connections). Left/right mean values.