Experimental validation of a new adaptive control approach for a hybrid suspension system

The paper presents the realization of a new suspension system and the experimental validation of a novel adaptive suspension control approach based on an adaptive reference model. The proposed "hybrid" suspension system includes a continuously variable hydraulic semi-active damper as well as an actuator in series to the suspension\´s primary spring and can be realized based on stock hardware from production vehicles. The adaptive control approach emulates the dynamic behavior of a passive suspension system that is optimally tuned for the current driving state to maximize ride comfort while considering constraints on the dynamic wheel load and suspension deflection. Models of the actuators and the testrig are presented and the influence of actuator bandwidth on the suspension performance is analyzed. The measurements conducted on a quarter-car test rig confirm the significant performance potential of the proposed hardware combination and the adaptive control approach.