Abstract
Keywords: Kinematic&Compliance, Vehicle Dynamics Simulation, Ride & Handling, Supension, Transient Behaviour
While vehicle dynamics represents driving safety, it also inspires driving pleasure and, thus, describes key attributes of a vehicle. The vertical, longitudinal and lateral vehicle dynamic behaviour is highly influenced by kinematics and compliance characteristics of the vehicle suspension. On the challenging way for further improvement of active safety, comfort and agility, progress on simulation / testing methods and tools is an important step.
Today's rig testing as well as simulation methods are mainly focused on static characterization of the kinematics & compliance, leaving gaps within the evaluation and validation process. For a detailed and qualified evaluation of vehicle dynamics such as transient behaviour, e.g. during lane changes, steering inputs or brake in turn (BIT) manoeuvres, the dynamic characterization of kinematics & compliance are as important, as the frequency response for comfort aspects. Today's test concepts like static K&C test benches, four posters or component test rigs could not fulfill the future challenges.
The submitted paper will present TÜV SÜD Automotive´s new and unique test concept, called "Dynamic Chassis Simulator", related test procedures and their fields of application.
The dynamic and transient characteristics of a full vehicle could be analysed with. Investigations in single and combined directions (longitudinal - lateral - vertical - steering) with frequency response up to 30 Hz for handling as well as comfort aspects get feasable.
Due to specific procedures the different compliance modes, such as kinematic-, side force- or self alignment torque (SAT) steer could be separated into amplitude and phase domain to evaluate vehicle stability as well as agility.
Also parasitic effects often leading to negative comfort and handling phenomena, e.g. parasitic stiffness or friction inside the suspension, could be analysed related to ride height, frequency and multi-axial inputs.
Furthermore these dynamic testing methods enable the multidimensional validation of multi body system (MBS) suspension models in frequency and phase domain, to guarantee the correct damping application of the axle bushings besides the pure kinematics.
As an outlook the paper illustrates the future Hardware in the Loop (HIL) concept, to combine full vehicle simulation with real axle hardware, excitated and measured on the dynamic K&C test rig "Dynamic Chassis Simulator".