Synthesis of a high-speed tracked vehicle suspension system--Part II: Definition and solution of the control problem

This two-part paper is concerned with the problem of synthesizing a high-speed vehicle suspension system. In part I [13] a new suspension structure was developed which features three independent parts. All three parts are calculated for a vehicle which travels along a rigid guideway with arbitrary vertical and lateral curves and grades. In this part in developing the system control the use of instantaneous state feedback and the presence of inaccessible states demand the use of Itô-calculus and the Athans matrix minimum principle in order to solve the problems of vibration control synthesis. It is concluded that the application of the principles and methods of advanced dynamics, deterministic and stochastic optimal control theory, and applied mathematics to the problem of synthesizing a high-speed vehicle suspension is successful and results in the identification of a new suspension structure which is proposed as a starting point in the development and design of a high-speed vehicle suspension system. Augmented by a thorough system simulation and hardward tests for verification of all assumptions made and by implementation of the sensor-and actuator-dynamics, the described synthesis procedure will lead to an effective suspension system.