Dynamic performance and stability analysis of an active inerter-based suspension with time-delayed acceleration feedback control

Abstract

An active inerter-based suspension with acceleration feedback control is proposed in this paper, the time delay generated in the controllers and actuators is considered, which constitutes the time-delayed active inerter-based (TDA-IB) suspension. The dynamic equation of the TDA-IB suspension is established and is a neutral type of delay differential equation (NDDE) in which the time delay exists in the highest-order derivative. The stability analysis is conducted by calculating the number of unstable characteristic roots based on the definite integral stability method, the stable and unstable regions are determined. The effect of time delay and feedback gain on the dynamic performance of the TDA-IB suspension under harmonic, random, and shock excitations is studied in detail and compared with the parallel-connected inerter-based (PC-IB) and traditional suspensions. The results show that the TDA-IB suspension is asymptotically stable for smaller feedback gain and time delay, through increasing the feedback gain, the stable regions shrink, and a smaller time delay could cause the system to become unstable. Furthermore, the time delay could regulate the resonance peak around the unsprung mass natural frequency and generate multiple high-frequency resonance peaks. If the time delay is chosen appropriately and falls into the stable range, the TDA-IB suspension could improve the dynamic performance for the suspension stroke and dynamic tire load while having a deterioration for the vehicle body acceleration compared with the PC-IB and traditional suspensions.