Abstract

The paper deals with innovations in vehicle suspension technology developed in the Josef Bozek´s Research Center of Combustion Engines and Automobiles at CTU in Prague, Czech Republic. A unique innovative suspension system that uses a linear electric motor as a controlled actuator has been designed. Many experiments on the energy management in the system have been accomplished. In order to verify various control strategies and to test different ways of energy consumption optimization we designed and constructed a unique onequarter- car test stand. To realize simulation and practical experiments at the test stand it is necessary to find a proper experimental road disturbance signal to excite the active suspension system. The disturbance signal is applied on one more linear motor that is placed under a wheel of the one-quarter-car test stand to excite the active suspension system. The paper deals with the way and results of experimental verification of vehicle active suspension behavior when robust control is applied and also with energy management strategy that is used in the system. A modified H-infinity controller that enables to set energy management strategy is mentioned in the paper. At the close of the paper, some experiments taken on the one quarter-car model and their evaluation are discussed.