SUSPENSION

FUNDAMENTALS
 Initial role of the suspension
PROVIDE VERTICAL COMPLINACE SO THAT WHEELS
CAN FOLLOW AN UNEVEN ROAD.

ISOLATION OF ROAD INPUTS FROM THE BODY

But also
Load transfer control in cornering or
acceleration/braking

Handling (behavior and feel) control by adjusting

kinematics of the wheel during suspension travel
 MANEUVER & HANDLING
IMPORTANT TASK
What is an Automotive Suspension?
An Automotive Suspension is the system of parts that give a vehicle
the ability to maneuver.

What does a suspension do?

The job of a car suspension is to maximize the friction between the
tires and the road surface, to provide steering stability with good
handling

3
 RIDE
AUTOMOBILE TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEEDS
EXPERIENCE BROAD SPECTRUM OF
VIBRATIONS.
SPECTRUM CAN BE DIVIDED ACCORDING TO
FREQUENCY 0-25 Hz (RIDE) & 25-25000 Hz
(NOISE).
VEHICLE IS A DYNAMIC SYSTEM WHICH
EXHIBITS VIBRATIONS IN RESPONSE TO
EXCITATION INPUTS.
 SOURCES OF EXCITATION
ROAD ROUGHNESS ELEVATION PROFILE
ALONG THE WHEEL TRACKS OVER WHICH THE
VEHICLE PASSES.
REPRESENTED BY POWER SPECTRAL DENSITY
FUNCTION (PSD).
PSD IS A PLOT OF AMPLITUDE VS SPATIAL
FREQUENCY (CYCLE PER METER){ INVERSE OF
WAVE-LENGTH}.
ALL ROADS SHOW THE DROP IN AMPLITUDE
WITH WAVENUMBER.
 POWER DENSITY FUNCTION
LOG -LOG GRAPH
DESCRIBES TERRAIN IN
FREQ DOMAIN.

POWER DENSITY FUNCTION( Sg) m2/CYCLE/m

TENDS TO FOLLOW
INVERSE POWER LAW.
LONG WAVELENGTH
FEATURES HAVE LARGE
AMPLITUDES
SHORT WAVELENGTH
FEATURES HAVE SMALL
AMPLITUDES.
0.05 CY/M TO 10 CY/M
MEASURED DISTANCE OF 200
M

SPATIAL FREQUENCY( 1/)

NATURAL FREQUENCIES
HUMAN BODY
HOW IS IT MEASURED?
VERTICAL MOTIONS ON ROUGH ROAD
HUMAN SENSITIVITY
Ride Height, Bump & Droop
Ride Height
The neutral / middle
position of the
Suspension
Bump
When the wheel
moves upwards
Droop
When the wheel
moves downwards

14
 BASICS OF SUSPENSION SYSTEM
BASIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM MOTION OF
BODY ( SPRUNG MASS) & AXLES (UN-SPRUNG
MASS).
DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR INPUT & OUTPUT
RELATIONSHIP.
INPUT OUTPUT RATIOS CAN BE OF FORCES,
DISPLACEMENTS, VELOCITIES OR
ACCELERATIONS.
MATHEMATICAL REPRESENTATION
ROAD ROUGHNESS ACTS AS A VERTICAL
DISPLACEMENT INPUT TO THE WHEEL.
MOST COMMON MEASURE OF RIDE VIBRATION
ACCELERATION PRODUCED.
QUARTER CAR MODEL
 QUARTER CAR MODEL

AT BASIC LEVEL VEHICLES HAVE A SPRUNG MASS SUPPORTED

BY A PRIMARY SUSPENSION SYSTEM WHICH IN TURN IS
CONNECTED TO THE UN-SPRUNG MASS OF THE AXLE.
SUSPENSION- STIFFNESS + DAMPING.
TYRE STIFF SPRING WITH NEGLIGIBLE DAMPING ( VISCO
ELASTIC).
 HUMAN TOLERANCE TO WHOLE
BODY VIBRATION
AS PER ISO 2631
SHOWS DECREASED

1Xg
PROFICIENCY BOUNDARIES

RMS ACCELERATION
FOR VERTICAL VIBRATIONS
1 MIN
AS AVG. DAILY TIME

0.5
EXPOSURE INCREASES THE 1 6MIN
BOUNDARY LOWERS. 25MIN
BELOW 1 Hz IS A PROBLEM

0.1
DUE TO MOTION SICKNESS. 2.5 H

TOLERANCE LIMITS FOR

POWER ABSORBED ( FORCE X 8H
0.05

VELOCITY) FOR MILITARY

VEHICLES AT DRIVER
POSITION IS 6 W.
0.1

0.5 1.0 2.0 5.0 10.0 20.0 50.0 Hz

FREQUENCY
 QUARTER CAR RESPONSE TO ROAD
TWO DEGREES OF FREEDOM

SPRUNG MASS ACCELEARTION

ROAD INPUT ACCELERATION

RESPONSE GAIN

0 5 10 15 20 25
FREQUENCY Hz
 VIBRATION ISOLATION
FREQ RANGE BELOW 1 Hz THE
MASS OF UNSPRUNG PARTS
HAVE VERY LITTLE EFFECT ON Ms/Mu

TRANSMISSIBILTY RATIO
THE VIBRATION OF THE SPRUNG
MASS.
0.2
AT FREQ CLOSE TO NATURAL
FREQ OF UN-SPRUNG MASS( 10 0.10
Hz) LIGHTER THE MASS LOWER
THE TRANSMISSIBILITY RATIO
WILL BE.
AT HIGHER FREQ RANGE ABOVE
THE NATURAL FREQ OF UN-
SPRUNG MASS ,
TRANSMISSIBILTY WILL BE
HIGHER WITH HEAVIER UN- 1 Hz 10 Hz
SPRUNG MASS.
FREQUENCY
 EFFECT OF TIRE STIFFNESS RATIO
EFFECT OF TIRE STIFFNESS TO
SUSPENSION STIFFNESS RATIO. 5
Ktr / Ks

TRANSMISSIBILTY RATIO
HIGHER RATIO MEANS LOWER
SUSPENSION STIFFNESS.
10
AT FREQ LESS THAN 1 Hz LOWER
RATIO MEANS HIGHER
TRANSMISSIBILITY.
AT FREQ RANGE OF NATURAL
FREQs OF SPRUNG MASS AND UN-
SPRUNG MASS HIGHER STIFFNESS
RATIO -SOFTER SPRING LOWER
TRANSMISSIBILTY THAT IS BETTER
VIBRATION ISOLATION.
1 Hz
BEYOND 10 Hz FREQ THIS RATIO 10 Hz
HAS NEGLIGIBLE EEFCT ON
VIBRATION ISOLATION OR FREQUENCY
TRANSMISSIBILITY.
 SUSPENSION TRAVEL
IT IS THE SPACE REQUIRED TO

SUSPENSION TRAVEL RATIO ( Z2-Z1)max/Zo

ACCOMMODATE SUSPENSION
SPRING TARVEL BETWEEN BUMP Mus/M s
AND REBOUND STOPS.
FOR A GIVEN AMPLITUDE OF
SPACE PROFILE Zo , THE MASS
RATIO (Mus/Ms) HAS LITTLE
EFFECT ON SUSPENSION
TRAVEL. INCREASING
MASS RATIO
IN THE FREQ RANGE 1 Hz TO 10
HZ , INCREASE IN MASS RATIO
INCREASES SUSPENSION TRAVEL.
BEYOND NATURAL FREQ OF UN-
SPRUNG MASS , HIGHER MASS
RATIO LOWERS THE SUSPENSION
TRAVEL.
FREQUENCY
 ROADHOLDING PROPERTIES OF A
SUSPENSION SYSTEM
BELOW THE NATURAL FREQ OF SPRUNG MASS , MASS RATIO
Mus/Ms HAS LITTLE EFFECT ON DYNAMIC TIRE DEFLECTION(
ROAD HOLDING).
LOWER DYNAMIC TIRE DEFLECTION MEANS BETTER ROAD
HOLDING CAPABILITIES.
STIFFER SPRING IS PREFERRED AT FREQ CLOSER TO NATURAL
FREQ OF UN-SPRUNG MASS AS IT GIVES SMALLER DYNAMIC
TIRE DEFLECTION I.E BETTER ROAD HOLDING CAPABILITIES.
THIS IS THE REASON THAT RACING CARS HAVE STIFFER
SUSPENSION (FOR BETTER ROAD HOLDING) THAN
PASSENGER CARS (FOR OVERALL VIBRATION ISOLATION)
MORE COMPLEX MODEL
HALF MODEL & FULL MODEL
 MATHEMATICS
EFFECTIVE STIFFNESS OF SUSPENSION + TYRE SPRING
IN SERIES IS : RR = KS KT / (KS +KT), WHERE KS =
SUSPENSION STIFFNESS & KT = TYRE STIFFNESS
IN ABSENCE OF DAMPING NATURAL FREQUENCY n =
(RR/W/G) =(RR/M)
WHERE M= SPRUNG MASS =1/4 (TOTAL SPRUNG
MASS)
IN CASE OF DAMPING d= (1-2)
= Cs/(4 KS M), WHERE Cs = SUSPENSION DAMPING COEFFICIENT
& = DAMPING RATIO
 DAMPING RATIO & STATIC DEFLECTION

MODERN PASSENGER CARS DAMPING RATIO FALLS

BETWEEN 0.2 TO 0.4.
RATIO W/KS =STATIC DEFLECTION = f (NATURAL
FREQUENCY).
STATIC DEFLECTION OF 254 MM 1 Hz
127 MM 1.4 Hz
25 MM 3.13 Hz
MEANING LARGE DEFLECTIONS GIVES LOW
FREQUENCIES.
 THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR
QUARTER CAR MODEL DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR IS
LIMITED IN VERTICAL DIRECTION ONLY.
GAIN = RATIO OF SPRUNG MASS MOTION TO THE
EQUIVALENT INPUT FORM THE ROAD.
AT VERY LOW FREQUENCY GAIN IS UNITY I.E. SPRUNG
MASS MOVES IN EXACT DUPLICATION OF THE ROAD
INPUT.
SPRUNG MASS IS CHOSEN TO HAVE NATURAL
FREQUENCY NEAR 1 Hz, THEREFORE AT NATURAL
FREQUENCIES NEAR 1 Hz , SPRUNG MASS STARTS
RESONATING & ROADS INPUTS ARE AMPLIFIED
 DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR IN
VERTICAL DIRECTION
AMPLITUDE RATIO AT THIS PEAK IS VERY SENSITIVE
TO THE DAMPING LEVEL. (1.5 TO 3 TIMES
PASSENGER CARS 5 TO 6 FOR TRUCKS).
ABOVE RESONANCE ROAD INPUTS ARE
INCREASINGLY ATTENUATED.
IN THE RANGE OF 10 12 Hz UNSPRUNG MASS OF
THE TYRE WHEEL ASSEMBLY GOES INTO VERTICAL
RESONANCE MODE.
 SUSPENSION STIFFNESS

ROAD ACCELERATION INPUTS INCREASE IN

AMPLITUDES AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES , BEST
ISOLATION IS ACHIEVED BY KEEPING THE
NATURAL FREQUENCIES AS LOW AS
POSSIBLE.
LOWEST POSSIBLE SPRING RATES TO
MINIMIZE THE NATURAL FREQUENCY.
 ON ROAD ACCELERATION
VERSUS
SPRUNG MASS NATURAL FREQUENCIES
MEAN SQUARE ACCELERATION

SPRUNG MASS NATURAL FREQUENCY

2 Hz
SPRUNG MASS
1.5 Hz

1 Hz
FREQUENCY

AT HIGHER VALUES OF NATURAL FREQUENCIES THE ACCELERATION PEAKS INCREASES.

THIS TELLS US THE BENEFITS OF KEEPING THE SUSPENSION SOFT.
PRACTICAL LIMITS OF STORKE CONSTRAINT THE NATURAL FREQUENCY TO A MINIMUM
OF 1 TO 1.5 Hz RANGE.
 SUSPENSION DAMPING
10 % DAMPING

RESPONSE GAIN 40 % DAMPING

200 % DAMPING
100 % DAMPING

0 1 5 10 15 20
FREQUENCY Hz
SHOCK ABSORBERS DO NOT ABSORB THE SHOCKS BUT THEY DISSIPATE ENERGY PUT INTO THE
SYSTEM BY BUMP.
A VERY LIGHT DAMPING (10 %) RESPONSE IS DOMINATED BY VERY HIGH REPONSE AT 1 Hz.
THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE CAUSES THE SPRUNG MASS TO AMPLIFY LONG UNDULATIONS.
HOWEVER, HIGH ATTENUATION IS ACHIEVED AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES.
40 % DAMPING RATIO IS DESIRABLE , AMPLIFICATION AT RESONANT FREQ IS IN THE RANGE OF
1.5 TO 2 .
AT CRITICAL DAMPING (100 %) , THE 1 Hz BOUNCE MOTIONS ARE WELL CONTROLLED BUT
PENALTIES AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES.
AT 200 % THE DAMPER BECOMES SO STIFF THAT THE SUSPENSION NO LONGER MOVES AND
VEHCILE BOUNCES ON TYRES RESONATING IN 3 TO 4 Hz.
 RMS ACCELERATION, SUSPENSION
TRAVEL, DAMPING & STIFFNESS RATIO
FOR ANY GIVEN STIFFNESS RATIO
0.00 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.16 0.20 0.24 0.28

TIRE / SUSPENSION STIFFNESS THE VERTICAL ACCELERATION VARIES

WITH DAMPING & HAS A N
RMS VERTICAL ACCELERATION OF SPRUNG MASS

OPTIMUM.
5
7.5
HIGH LEVEL OF DAMPING REDUCES
10 THE RMS SUSPENSION TRAVEL BUT AT
THE COST OF INCREASED
ACCELEARTION.
15
LOW LEVELS OF DAMPING ALLOWS
GREATER SUSPENSION TRAVELS BUT
INCREASES RMS ACCELERATION.
INCREASING DAMPING
TRIANGLE SHOWS THE USABLE AREA.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

RMS SUSPENSION TRAVEL

 WHEEL HOP FREQUENCIES
WHEEL HOP FREQUENCIES ARE HIGHER THAN THE SPRUNG MASS
RESONANCE.
RESONANT FREQ. IN THE RANGE OF 10 -12 Hz.
UNSPRUNG MASS IS IDEALLY KEPT AT 10 % OF SPRUNG MASS.
HEAVIER MASS PULLS THE WHEEL HOP FREQ. DOWN NEAR 7 Hz.
WITH LIGHTER UNSPRUNG MASS THE WHEEL HOP FREQUENCY IS
PUSHED HIGHER I.E BETTER ISOLATION.
fa = 0.159 (Kt + Ks)/Wa)
WHERE Wa = AXLE WEIGHT
FRICTION IN THE SUSPENSION WILL INCREASE THE EFFECTIVE
SPRING RATES FOR SMALL RIDE MOTIONS PUSHING FREQUENCIES
SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
 Common Suspension Designs

Beam Axle
Swing Axle
De Dion
Double Wishbone /
Unequal Length A-arm

40
Beam Axle
AROUND SINCE HORSE AND
CHARIOT DAYS
ALWAYS KEEPS WHEELS
PARALLEL
OFTEN USED IN REAR
RARELY USED IN FRONT
OK ON SMOOTH TRACKS
CHEAP , SIMPLE & ROBUST
NO CAMBER CHANGES DURING
BOUNCE & ROLL
IF ONE WHEEL HITS THE BUMP
THEN BOTH WHEEL CHANGE
CAMBER
HEAVY UN-SPRUNG MASS
41
Swing Axle
OFTEN USED ON VW BASED
OFF ROAD CARS
SIMPLE AND RUGGED
CAMBER CURVE TOO STEEP
ONLY ADJUSTMENT YOU CAN
MAKE IS RIDE HEIGHT.
RESULTS IN JACKING

42
Double Wishbone
LIGHTEST WEIGHT
LOWEST UNSPRUNG MASS
GREATEST ADJUSTABILITY
ONE WHEEL CAN MOVE
INDEPENDENTLY OF THE
OTHER.

43
Yaw, Pitch, and Roll
Same terminology as
aircraft
X is the longitudinal
axis
Yawing refers to
normal change of
direction
Pitching is dive or
squat

46
SIX BASIC FUNCTIONS
THANKYOU
Weight Transfer
Occurs anything the vehicle
accelerates or decelerates
Cornering force Fc will cause
weight to transfer from the
inside to outside tires
Braking and accelerating forces
cause a similar front and rear
weight transfer

56
Roll Center
A geometric construct
Represents the instantaneous point
about which the sprung mass will
rotate due to cornering forces
Roll center moves as suspension
travels
Goal of any suspension designer is to
minimize Roll Center Migration

59
Roll Couple
Distance from roll center to
CG is key
Low roll center results in
more roll for a given lateral
acceleration
Most designs use a low roll
center to reduce jacking
forces

60
Tire Slip Angle
Angle between the
centerline of the
wheel and the actual
path
Tires generate highest
cornering forces at a
certain slip angle

61
Slip Angle vs. Grip
Grip is highest a set angle,
then falls off as the slip angle
increases
Sharper peak will give a less
predictable breakaway
Radial tires typically have a
steeper slope than bias ply

62
 Spindle Length

Spindle
Length

King Pin
Inclination Angle

Scrub Radius
(positive shown)

Scrub Radius
From The Automotive Chassis: Engineering Principles, (negative shown)
J. Reimpell & H. Stoll, SAE 1996
From Car Suspension and Handling 3rd Ed, D. Bastow & G. Howard, SAE 1993
 THANKYOU

THIS IS ONLY A PRIMARY ON

SUSPENSION
 The degree to which a car Keep the tires
maintains contact with the road in contact
surface in various types of with the
directional changes and in a ground,
straight line (Example: The because it is Minimize the transfer
weight of a car will shift from the the friction of vehicle weight
rear tires to the front tires during between the from side to side and
Road
braking. Because the nose of tires and the front to back, as this
Holding
the car dips toward the road, road that transfer of weight
this type of motion is known as affects a reduces the tire's grip
"dive." The opposite effect -- vehicle's on the road.
"squat" -- occurs during ability to
acceleration, which shifts the steer, brake
weight of the car from the front and
tires to the back.) accelerate.
 Minimize body roll,
which occurs as
centrifugal force
Transfer the weight of
pushes outward on
the car during
a car's center of
The ability of a vehicle to cornering from the
Cornering gravity while
travel a curved path high side of the
cornering, raising
vehicle to the low
one side of the
side.
vehicle and
lowering the
opposite side.
Principle Definition Goal Solution

The vehicle's Allow the vehicle Absorb energy from

ability to absorb body to ride road bumps and
or isolate road undisturbed dissipate it without
Road Isolation
shock from the while traveling causing undue
passenger over rough oscillation in the
compartment roads. vehicle.