Abstract—In this paper, an integrated vehicle seat and suspension
control strategy for a quarter car with driver model
is proposed to improve suspension performance on driver ride
comfort. An integrated seat and suspension model that includes
a quarter-car suspension, a seat suspension, and a 4-degree-offreedom
(DOF) driver body model is presented first. This integrated
model provides a platform to evaluate ride comfort
performance in terms of driver head acceleration responses under
typical road disturbances and to develop an integrated control
of seat and car suspensions. Based on the integrated model, an
H∞ state feedback controller is designed to minimize the driver
head acceleration under road disturbances. Considering that state
variables for a driver body model are not measurement available
in practice, a static output feedback controller, which only uses
measurable state variables, is designed. Further discussion on
robust multiobjective controller design, which considers driver
body parameter uncertainties, suspension stroke limitation, and
road-holding properties, is also provided. Last, numerical simulations
are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed
control strategy. The results show that the integrated seat and suspension
control can effectively improve suspension ride comfort
performance compared with the passive seat suspension, active
seat suspension control, and active car suspension control.
Index Terms—Driver body model, integrated control, seat suspension,
static output feedback control, vehicle suspension.
Abstract—In this paper, an integrated vehicle seat and suspensioncontrol
strategy for a quarter car with driver modelis proposed to improve
suspension performance on driver ridecomfort. An integrated seat and
suspension model that includesa quarter-car suspension, a seat
suspension, and a 4-degree-offreedom(DOF) driver body model is presented
first. This integratedmodel provides a platform to evaluate ride
comfortperformance in terms of driver head acceleration responses
undertypical road disturbances and to develop an integrated controlof
seat and car suspensions. Based on the integrated model, anH∞ state
feedback controller is designed to minimize the driverhead acceleration
under road disturbances. Considering that statevariables for a driver
body model are not measurement availablein practice, a static output
feedback controller, which only usesmeasurable state variables, is
designed. Further discussion onrobust multiobjective controller design,
which considers driverbody parameter uncertainties, suspension stroke
limitation, androad-holding properties, is also provided. Last,
numerical simulationsare conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the
proposedcontrol strategy. The results show that the integrated seat and
suspensioncontrol can effectively improve suspension ride
comfortperformance compared with the passive seat suspension, activeseat
suspension control, and active car suspension control.Index
Terms—Driver body model, integrated control, seat suspension,static
output feedback control, vehicle suspension.
