Ride comfort evaluation and suspension design using axiomatic design

This study presents a theoretical formulation based on the axiomatic design (AD) approach to suspension systems for improving both ride comfort and static design factors (SDFs) of passenger vehicles. This approach was adapted to the kinematic design of suspension systems to create a decoupled or less coupled relationship between the functional requirements (FRs) and design parameters (DPs). SDFs related to wheel alignment and ride comfort are selected for FRs and suspension hardpoint positions are chosen for common DPs. A flexible commercial vehicle body model is used to mathematically express SDFs by defining the performance index and analyzing the dynamic characteristics for ride comfort evaluation. The sensitivity matrices are defined between the FRs and DPs. The SDF design sequences are proposed by using these matrices with the vehicle model. This study improves both ride comfort and SDFs by properly designing the kinematic DPs.