A Design And Bench Test of Multi-modal Active Suspension of

Railway Vehicle

Kimiaki Sasaki, Shogo Kamoshita, Mamoru Enomoto

Railway Technical Research Institute
2-8-38 H&aricho,Kokubunji-sh,Tokyo:Zip-code 185-Japan
Tel: 81425-7313 Fax: 81-425-7367

Abstrect - An active suspension system of railway vehicle is
discussed. This system copes with three modes(vertica1, lateral,
rolling) of carbody vibrations. The vehicle dynamics is modeled
as a 7-degree of freedom model which includes the
characteristic effect of lateral force and yawing moment of
railway vehicle. In this study, a pneumatic control system and a
hydraulic control system are implemented. The control valve of
pneumatic system is configured with a PWM solenoid valve set
which contributes cutting delay time. The hydraulic system is
configured with a flow rate control valve and accumulators
which give compliance to the system.
Then control systems are submitted to bench tests on the
rolling stock test plant. The results show that each vibration
-
mode of carbody is reduced to 1/2 In. Mutual interactions of
vibration modes are also reduced.
INTRODUCTION
The recent progress of the active suspension technology is
remarkable. Mainly, this innovation has been achieved in the field
of automobiles. In the field of railway vehicle, active suspension
system based on classical control theory had been studied early
on[l]. Some of these systems were examined on the truck, but did
not go into practical use. Recently, improvementsin micro-computer
and electronics technology make it possible to apply modem control
theory to active suspension system. Some examples of such systems
are reported[Z].
For the railway vehicle, active suspension is a technology with
great potentialities for the following purposes:
(1) To improve the ride quality.
( 2 ) For high speed operation.
High speed operation raises a problem on the ride quality
because of long length wave track irregularities which are diflicult
to remedy. An active suspension is effective to improve this point.
(3) To reduce cost of track maintenance.
The cost of track maintenance is a heavy drain on railroad
companies. Improving car performance in ride quality involves large
possibility of costdown.
A railway car has the following characteristic vibrations:
(1) Lateral vibration has great influence on ride quality.
(2) The effect of rail/wheel force called "creep force" increases
lateral vibration of car body by interaction between lateral and
yawing motions of the truck.
(3) Because of trucWcarbody force, lateral vibration brings
about a large r o h g motion of the carbody.
This paper describes a design and bench test of an active
suspension of railway vehicle which have the flowing features:
(1) The effect of contact force between rail and wheel is
included in vehicle dynamics model.
(2) Three vibration modes (i.e. vertical, lateral, rolling) of
carbody are concurrently controlled.
(3) Pneumatic and hydraulic active suspension systems are
tested on the rolling stock test plant.
SCHEME OF ACTIVE SUSPENSION
In order to reduce the three modes of car vibrations, three
actuators are installed between carbody and truck(Fig.1). Two
actuators are vertically set on the left and right sides of truck, and
the third one is set horizontally at the center of truck. To measure
vibrations of carbody and truck, three acceleration sensors and four
stroke sensors are installed. The acceleration sensors are on the
carbody, and the stroke sensors measure the space between carbody
and truck. Outputs of these sensors are read into
controller(computer), and changed to velocities and displacements
around the mass-center of carbody and truck from their geometry.
The controller calculates control forces and drives control valves.
In this study, the following pneumatic valve systems and
hydraulic valve system are considered.
(1)Pneumatic:PWM solenoid valve set (Fig.2)

-I I
controller I x2
!I valve &(rod side) charge !

'_
I
I

, I I
I control
I
valve
- -
"acc6,7 facd
acc4
e3
truck masscenter . actuators m x?
e
accelerationsensors
7; -J
~

d estroke sensors
Fig.1 Structure of active suspension
actuator .- - - . - valve set(head side)

Fig.2 PWM solenoid valve set

2011
0-7803-1328-3/94$03.0001994 IEEE
 (2)Hydraulic flow rate control valve set Fig.3)
. - The valve set of (1) is made up of @l solenoid valve and a
commo6 header pipe. The solenoid valve is tough and it has steady
characteristics. These valves are toggled ON and OFF in about
5Oms of interval time and mean flow rate of this set is controlled
with duty ratio of valves. By a contrivance in drive sequence, the
sample period of control is shortened to l"S(shorter than interval
time of valves).
Fig.4 shows the sequence of this valve set. The three valves set
in parallel are dnven with PWM mode in the period of 5OmS. This
driven valve changes in cyclic sequence. So the controller uses this
valve set in about 17mS of sample period. -_
When flow rate is larger than 1/3 of full rate, thC<&e driven in
next turn is open&i in one control period. By this sequence, it is
possible to set sort control period without wd m g +e &@cities.
The hydraulic valve set of ( 2 ) is made up of an electrical con-
trolled flow rate valve and a small accumulator. Because of great
stiffness of hydraulic system, hydraulic system has a weak point in
isolation of high fkquency vibrations between truck and carbody.
So in order to decxease the stiffness of hydraulic system, two
accumulators and choke valves are incorporated into hydraulic
circuit between valve and actuator.
The measured accelerations of carbody are integrated by a
digital integrator. Then the controller calculates velocities and dis-
placements of mass-center of carbody and truck using these results
and relative displacement signals between truck and carbody.
Control is done using a 17th order optimal controller.
fl
-
accumulator
pressure
source
Pa
Sa
MODELING
Creep Force
In order to simplify the model, in this study, the truck is
modeled as "rigid truck[3]. This means that the axles are fitted to
truck kame rigidly in lateral and longitudinal directions. In this
model, the wheel moves under the following conditions:
a.Vertically, wheel is restrained by displacement of track.
b.For lateral motion and yawing, the axle moves with truck h e
rigidly.
For lateral displacement, railway vehicle gets a restoration
moment due to difference in wheel diameter at contacting point.
This margin generates a yawing moment of truck, and the yawing
angle generates the lateral motion of truck. As the result of this
interaction, the truck increases lateral motion. hader to describe
the motions of a railway car,it is necessary to implement the creep
force between rail and wheel in the vehicle dynamics model. In
this study, this force is expressed based on "Kalker's simplified
linear model"[4]. Creep force is a force which is generated by
minute slip between rail and wheel. In the range of small slips,
creep force can be approximated as a linear function of creepage
between rail and vheel. In a rigid truck model, lateral creep force
foy
Toy =
-
and yawing moment are formulated by the following equations.
- h ' Y a +h.,'WI
-h.,.(Y, - Y o > -L4.41
(1)
(21
where
fay: lateral creep force , Tsy: yawing moment of truck
ql : truck yawing angle , y, :lateral displacement of the axle
AI
A,
-
yo : lateral irregularity of track
=
-
2E*a.b*q2/V
2E-a-b.q2
2EabC,,d; yo l ( ~ ( +1d :~) }
y : effective conicity of wheel, Y : running speed
C, ,C,, : W e r ' s non dimensional numbers
a,b :semi-axes of contact ellipse
 A 7-DOF model of half carbody is shown in Fig.5. Under these if ps/pd>1.89 , Q - w . k . s o . p ,
conditions, equations of motion are expressed as follows: where
Balance of vertical force which works on carbody is given by: Q : flow rate of air
mzz, +2Cv2(i2 - i l > + 2 k , , ( z Z - z , ) = f l + f , (3) ps : absolute pressure of upper side
pd : absolute pressure of lower side
k :constant
w : duty ratio of control valve
so : port area of control valve
Fig.2 also shows a pneumatic actuator. In tlus figure, standard
conditions are set as follows:
head side pressed area of piston : s1
rod side pressed area of piston : %
piston position: center of cylinder
absolute pressure of head side :Pd
absolute pressure of rod side: Pro = Pco .sl13
capacity of head side in standard condition : Val
capacity of rod side in standard condition : Vo2
gas temperature: To
R : gas constant
C :l/(molecular weight of air)
Assuming a constant temperature, the differential of head side
pressure is expressed by equation (11) using these conditions.

If w is positive, then define w as duty ratio of charge side valve,

otherwise define w as discharge side one. Redefining P, as source
pressure of compressor, equation (11) formulates charge side. And
the discharge side is expressed as equation (12).
4 =k.C.so.q.w.R r, (12)
-xz)+Vo1
Sl(Xl

Defining U, as follows, equations (1 1) and (12) are combined into

equation (I 3 )
Operating Forces w.P, ; w r O
Pneumatic system : When a valve is open, the valve port is treated U1 =={ w . 4 ;w < 0
as an orifice and flow rate is expressed by equation (10).

Carbody
. cv2 vertical damping coefficient of air spring

v[+i
I fl
I
kv2 vertical stiffness of air spring
carbody ch2 horizontal damping coefficient of air spring
kh2 horizontal stiffness of air spring
Y mass-center
m2.W
m2 a half of carbody mass
1x2 a half of carbody rolling moment of inertia
df2 distance between vertical, actuator and mass-center
dk2 distance between air spnng and mass-center
hf2 height between horizontal actuator and mass-center
hk2 height between air spring(center) and mass-center
fl left side operating force (vertical)
fr right side operating force (vertical)
fh horizontal operating force
Truck
cvl vertical damping coefficient of axle damper
kvl vertical stiffnes of axle spring
cy1 damping coefficient of yaw damper
kyl effective stiffness of yaw damper
m i truck mass
mO axle mass,
h01 1x1 moment of inertia rolling)
Izl moment of inertialyawing)
dkl distance between mass-center and axle spring(damper)
d 1 distance between mass-center and yaw damper
hyl height between mass-center and horizontal actuator
hkl height between air spring(center) and mass-center
h01 height of mass-center
Creep force
fOy lateral creep force
MOy yawing moment
Fig5 7 DOF model

2013
P; - k . C - s o - R - TO f = sbpb -
sl.(xl-Tz)+v01
'4 (13)
Rod side pressure can be solved in a similar way to equation ( 14)
m

The differential of control force of actuator is given by equation

(15). In this equation, 7th and 8th terms can be canceled by adjusting
"balancing pressure". At last, the generated force is described by
j = P 1 * s ,- P z * s z equation (26).
=k.C.so.R.( .u1 - %*To .%)
SI .(XI - 2 2 1+ VOl "r .( x 2 - Xl 1+ voz
(15)
To be linearized, equation (15) is changed to equation ( 16) with
Taylor expansion around the following conditions:
u1= 0 , u2= 0 , x 1 - y ? = 0
STATEEQUATIONS

In this study, all actuators are same type.Thus the control force Pneumatic System
of each actuator is given by equations (17)-(19). x is the state vector of this system and its elements are defined
as follows:
XI =z2 , x 2 'i2 , x 3 =y, ,x4=y, ,
x 5 = 42 ,x6=& ,x7=z1 ,xS=il ,
xg=y1 ,xlo=rl Jll=h ,XI,=& >

x13 =yl ,x14 = @ l ,x15 =fr , x16 = f , ,x17 = f h

U is the input vector.

U = [U11 U12 U21 U22 U31 %2If
E is the disturbance vector.
E =[zo 20 Yo 40 &If
Hydmulic system : Fig.3 shows a hydraulic actuator. The
pressure of rod side is expressed by equation (20). Using these vectors, equations can be combined in next form.
Pa =Pas + Ca ISa(i2 - .ii 1+ Ql (20) x = A - X + B . U+D.E (27)
where where
P, : pressure of accumulator A:(17x17), B:(17x3) or B:(17x6), D:(17x5) arematrices.
Ca: resistance coefficient of fluid Hydreulic System
Q : flow rate of valve Because the actuator model of equation (26) is solved with the
sa : pressed piston area of head side stroke of each actuator, it is necessary to change the expression
From Boyle's law, Pa, is expressed by equation (21) . using state vector. By this change, equations (3)-(9) can be changed
to equations (28)-(34).

Deftning V = CQdt, then equation (21 ) is changed to (22) with

Taylor's expansion.
P
, - poasa (Sax,
-
VO
- S,Xl + V )+ Po, (22)
The pressure of actuator is described as equation (23) by
substituting equation (22) into (20).
Pa I =y? - pO"s"Xl + S V - casai2
+ CaS,Xl + cav+ Po,
VO VO VO
(23)
The head side pressure is formulated similarly to equation (24).
pb ,3!&x2 --pwsb XI + ay - c b s b i 2 + cbsbi1 + c b v + Pm
VO VO VO
(24)
The generated force of actuator is expressed by equation (25)

2014
 where
V;=Q1. Y;-Qr,
E is the disturbance vector.
E = rz0 i o Yo $0 O O Y
Using these vectors, state equation can be combined in equation
(35).This is same form as equation (27).
X=A.X+B-U+D-E (35)
where
A:(17~17),B:(17x3), D:(17x5) are matrices

BENCH TEST

Two trucks have been remodeled into active suspension trucks.

One truck is a pneumatic type and the other is a hydraulic one.
These trucks have been tested at the rolling stock test plant. Rolling
stock test plant is an equipment which simulates a running railway
vehicle by the rolling track wheels. At this plant, it is possible to
excite the truck in running condition. Fig.7 shows a result of
experiment of pneumatic active suspension. The vibration of
carbody is increased about 3 times after cutting off the control.
Similarly, Fig.8 shows a hydraulic experiment. In this experiment,
because of the short available period of the test plant, it could not
optimize the control parameters of hydraulic system. But the effect
of reducing about 50% of carbody vibration is recognized. Figs.9-13
show response of pneumatic active suspension. Fig.9 shows the
vertical vibrations of car body caused by vertical excitations. Lateral
axis means frequency (in rads) of excitations and vertical axis
means ratio of displacement of carbody to exciting amplitude.
Similarly, Fig. 10 shows lateral response by lateral excitation, and
Fig. I 1 shows rolling excitation to rolling of carbody. From them, it
is seen that the target vibrations (vertical, lateral, rolling) of carbody
are reduced 1/2-1/3 at each resonant Gequency. The rigid lines of
Figs.9-11 shows the results of simulation. However, "rigid truck
model" is a simplified model, but the results of simulation and
experiment are nearly agree. Fig.12 shows rolling vibration of the
carbody caused by lateral excitation. And Fig. 13 is a lateral motion
due to rolling excitation. These indicate that the vibrations which
are caused by interaction with different modes of vibration are also
reduced.
CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study are as follows:

(1)A simplified 7-DOF vehicle dynamics model which includes the
effect of rail/wheel force is described.
(2)Pneumatic and hydraulic active suspension trucks are designed
and tested on rolling stock test plant.
(3)From the results of experiment, These systems are effective for
reducing all target modes of vibrations and their interaction. And
the basic performance of this system has been clarified.
a. Vertical, lateral, rolling modes of vibrations are reduced to
112 - 1/3.
b. The vibrations caused by other modes of vibrations are
similarly reduced.
COUPLING

TRUCK

TRACK WHEEL

Fig6 Rolling stock test plant

2015
 REFERENCES
[ 11 G.W.Celnikar,JKHedlik, "RailVehicle Active Suspensions
for Lateral Ride and Stability Improvement", Transaction of
ASME, VOI 104, p.100-106,1982-3.
[2]Yosikawa,Tajima,Hirata,Koizumi,Matui,"An active suspension
-10" -- for railway vehicles"JSME,No92098,p.5-8,l9!Z-ll.
Vertical displacement Of carbody uncontrolled [3]M.Miyamoto,"A
in study
Japanese)", ofVol28,No7,
JREA, characteristics of creep force(written
p.16178-16181,1985.
by vertical excitation i
(1.OH2 5")
Fig.7 Effect Of pneumatic active suspension [4]J.J.Kalker, "Survey of Wheel-Rail Rolling Contact theoly",
Vehicle System Dynamics, V018,Nd,p.317-358,1979.

7
controlled - simulation(free)
controlled response

by vertical excitation
(1.2Hz 4")
-10"

vertical displacement of carbody

L uncontrolled

Fig.8 Effect of hydraulic active suspension

I I

10(rads)
frequency
I
100

Fig.9 Response of vertical excitation

3 8
Y
E
g 3.0
- simulation (free) e
v
@ freeresponse
.-* c

2 2.0
@ freeresponse
e controlled response
5
'U
4.0
controlled response

; al
L

0
'CI

z1.0
E
.-P
5 0.0
l
K e
1 I I I I

1 10 100 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0

frequency (rads) frequency (rads)
Fig.10 Response of rolling excitation Fig.12 Lateral response of rolling excitation
8
- simulation (free)

h e freeresponse
controlled response

e
10 1c I

frequency (rads) 5.0 10.0 15.0

Fig.11 Response of lateral excitation frequency (rads)
Fig.13 Rolling response of lateral excitation

2016