Laboratory tests of active suspension system

The main purpose of this study is to design an active vehicle suspension ensuring high vibration isolation efficiency and stability though the limited consumption of external energy. Active systems used in vehicle suspensions widely employ parallel (full active) structures. It shall be analysed and tested experimentally. The major part of the study summarises the laboratory experiments carried on a designed active vehicle suspension in the form of a quarter car model. Apart from the vibration isolation efficiency offered by the designed and engineered suspension, other considered performance indicators include the system's stability and external energy demand. A laboratory model of the suspension is described and laboratory tests are outlined that were performed to check the adequacy of various control algorithms. An attempt is made to evaluate the energy demand for the given structure and to determine the power ratings of the source supplying the active vibration isolation system. Inter alia quarter-vehicle full active suspension, vibration displacement transmissibility in the function of frequency, transmissibility function from the input to the output for various types of actuator’s controllers, comparison of instantaneous power absorbed from the power-supplying unit for various types of actuator's controllers, comparison of instantaneous power intake from the supplying unit for various types of controllers are presented in the paper.