Dynamic analysis and comfort evaluation of a full suspension bicycle equipped with a MR damper

Abstract

Typical vehicle suspension systems are based on passive energy dissipation devices. This type of systems have proven to be a reliable and economic approach, however they are not capable to modify its behavior in accordance with the road conditions. On the other hand, active systems allow a continuous control of the suspension response although requiring sensors, actuators and controllers which represents a more complex and expensive system, usually demanding high power requirements. A middle-term vibration control approach is to use the so-called semi-active systems with the adaptability of active systems and lower energy consumption. This paper aims to evaluate the comfort ridding of a full suspension bicycle equipped with semi-active open loop controlled suspension system using a magneto-rheological (MR) damper. The assessment was carried out based on the analysis of real data, extracted from the instrumented bicycle prototype. The experimental tests were made in a smooth indoor pavement and a cobblestone road. Finally, the results obtained with the proposed semi-active suspension control system are presented and discussed.