Minia Journal of Engineering and Technology, (MJET)

Vol. 31, No 2, July 2012

piston. The output and input of the

double acting cylinder are controlled by
an external manual valve in order to
change the orifice area and obtain a
variable
damping
coefficient.
A
rechargeable accumulator represented
hydraulic components, which is a gas
under pressure in a bottle contained
within a diaphragm effectively a balloon.
This allows pressurized fluid to compress
the gas and as the pressure drops the gas
push the fluid back to keep the system
pressure up. The aim of the accumulator
is to dissipate the energy in rebound
which will change the damping
coefficient. Figures 1 and 2, Show the
layout of the hydro-pneumatic active
damper.

1.Introduction
The dampers are used in two places in
vehicles. The main place is the axle of the
vehicle. The other place is the drivers
seat [1]. There are two requirements the
suspension system have to be realized.
Firstly, to ensure good road holding and
driving safety [2]. Secondly, to improve
the vehicle ride comfort. Continuously
adjustable dampers can achieve these two
requirements [3]. Damping force control
is accomplished by the design of valve
which acts as a variable flow orifice [4,
5]. The reaction force results from the
damper are a function of velocity. The
basic characterization of the shock
absorber is the nonlinear force velocity
curves which are produced by plotting the
maximum force versus the maximum
velocity measured during the test cycle
on a stand which imparts a known motion
( sine wave, triangular wave,etc)
[6,7]. This can be carried firstly by
providing a force velocity diagram, in
which the force values are plotted against
the velocity values. Then the maximum
and minimum force and velocity values
are determined and diagrammed. Finally,
true characteristics diagram is obtained
[8, 9]. It is well known that the
characteristics of the suspension are very
important in determining the handling
properties and the vehicle ride comfort
[7, 10]. In the present study, experimental
work was conducted to measure the
characteristics of hydro-pneumatic semiactive damper using different parameters
namely: oil pressures, orifice area,
accumulator gas pressure and different
speeds.

Fig.1The layout of the hydro-pneumatic

active damper

1-Tank
2-Pump
3-Motor
4-Filter
5-Non-return valve
6-Block
7-Manual valve
8-Pressure transducer
9-Gas accumulator
10-Pressure gauge
11- Double acting cylinder

2. The hydro-pneumatic active damper

The major components of the hydropneumatic semi-active damper are a
double acting cylinder with a piston of
diameter 32 mm designed to represent the
damper but without drilling holes in the

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Vol. 31, No 2, July 2012

Minia Journal of Engineering and Technology, (MJET)

The load cell (model number is LFS210)

and LVDT (type is HBM W100).
Potentiometer Ltd has a sensitivity of 80
mV/ mm is calibrated, as shown in
Figures 3 and 4.

didplacement, m

0.06
y = 0.04
0.6802x - 0.0038
0.02
0
-5
5
-0.02 0
-0.04
-0.06
output, V

-10

Fig.2 The hydro-pneumatic active damper

3.Test rig and Instrumentation system

10

Fig.3 The calibration curve of the LVDT

The damper characteristics test rig is

designed and developed in the vehicle
dynamic laboratory [11]. It is used to
measure the non linear damper
characteristics. The description of the test
rig and the instrumentation is shown in
the Fig (4). The damper is allowed to
vertical direction only. A calibrated move
load cell is used to measure the force
transmitted through the damper which is
fixed between the rigid frame and the
damper. A linear variable displacement
transducer (LVDT) is mounted between
the two ends of the damper to measure
the damper displacement. The constant
input amplitude is obtained by a
reciprocating mechanism that is driven by
an electric motor (7.5 Hp, 50 Hz, 220/380
volt, 1430 rpm, and cos =0.75). An eight
speeds gear box is set between the
reciprocating engine and the electric
motor.

Force(Kg)

500

y = 127.71x + 3.9936

400
300
200
100
0
0

output(Volt)

Fig .4 The calibration curve of the load cell

4 Recursive digital filters

In most cases the force and velocity
signals were corrupted by high frequency
noise, to remove this noise, a simple
recursive digital filter is used [12]. The
term recursive means that the output of
the digital filter is computed using the
present input, together with previous
inputs and outputs. The bilinear
transformation provides the designer with
a technique of approximate analogue
filters with digital filters. The transfer
function of the analogue filter that has the
desired characteristics is:

The output data from the load cell and the

LVDT were converted to digital signals
through (A/D) card. Then, the output data
were calibrated. After that, the
displacement was differentiated to obtain
the velocity. Finally, the relation between
the velocity and the force was plotted and
investigated.

Y out output
2

2
Y in input S 2S 2

204

Eq.1

Vol. 31, No 2, July 2012

Minia Journal of Engineering and Technology, (MJET)

Converting to a digital filter by using the

bilinear transform:
S=

2 1 Z 1
(
)
T s 1 Z 1

Table 1: list of parameter on coefficient

of damping.

Eq.2

Oil
press
ure(b
ar)

Gives:
2T s2 2 2T s2 Z 1 2T s2 Z 2
output
2 2
input
( T s 4T s 4) (2 2T s2 8) Z 1 ( 2T s2 4T s 4) Z 2

Eq.3

2 f c

cases

Depends on the required frequencies ( )

the decision of passing and stopping is
selected.
Eq.4

Where:

5
10
15
20
25

Orifice
area
damping
Coefficie
nt
(N.S/m)
3320
1696
1166
723
255

Gas
press
ure
(bar

35
30
25
20
15
10
5

Frequen
cy (Hz))

0.0892
0.16
0.2639
0.3509
0.4
0.507
0.826

fc= cut-off frequency

As shown in Fig.7, the displacement,
velocity and force with time are plotted.
Also, the force versus velocity at oil
pressure 5 bar, gas pressure 20 bars,
orifice 3 and frequency 0.4 Hz is
considered.

Ts= Sampling Time

= Damping factor
0.015
d(before filter)
Displacement, m

0.01

D(after filter)

In Fig.8 and 12 the effect of the oil

pressure on the damping characteristics
of the hydro-pneumatic active damper is
conducted. It has been observed that the
force velocity relationship changes due to
the change of oil pressures and concluded
that as the pressure increases the damping
coefficient increases.

0.005
0
-0.005 0

-0.01
-0.015
Time, m

Fig. The displacement after and before the

filter.

In Fig.9 and 13 the effect of the valve

orifices
area
on
the
damping
characteristics of the hydro-pneumatic
active damper is obtained. It is noticed
that the force velocity relation changes
with respect to the change of the valve
orifices. It is also found that the valve
orifices area increases the damping
coefficient changes.

4. Results
4.1 The hydro-pneumatic active
damper characteristics
To determine the basic damping
characteristics it is necessary to plot the
relation between the force and velocity
diagram (the characteristics diagram). The
hydro-pneumatic semi-active damper is
tested at four cases and listed in Table 1.

In Fig.10 and 14 the effect of the

accumulator gas pressure on the damping
characteristics of the hydro-pneumatic
active damper is shown. It is found that
the relation between force and velocity is

205

Minia Journal of Engineering and Technology, (MJET)

changed with respect to the variation of

gas accumulator pressure. It is found that
as the gas pressure increases the damping
coefficient increases but the increasing is
slight compared with the oil pressure and
the valve orifice.

Vol. 31, No 2, July 2012

[3] crolla D.A., Firth G. and Horton D. "

An Introduction to Vehicle Dynamics",
Department
of Mechanical
Eng.,
University of Leeds, UK, 1991.
[4] Parker G.A. and Lau K.S. "A novel
valve for semi-active vehicle suspension
systems" Proc. Of the I. MechE Conf. on
advanced suspension paper c427/88,
1988.

Fig.11 and 15 shows the effect of the

speed on the damping characteristics of
the hydro-pneumatic active damper. It is
observed that the force velocity
relationship changes due to the change of
speed. It is also observed that as the
speed increases the damping coefficient
obviously increases.

[5] Guy Y., Kerastas M.W. and bruckman

R.E. "A solenoid-actuated pilot valve in a
semi-active damping system" ,SAE
No.,1989.
[6] Abd-El_tawwab A.M., Crolla D.A.,
Abou-El-Seoud, S.A., El-Sayed F.M. and
El-Razzaz A.S.A. "Theoretical prediction
of the performance of switchable damper
suspension system" Proceeding of 6 th
AMME Conference. 3-5 May, Egypt,
1994.

In general, it is found that the

characteristic diagram is different in
compression and rebound and the force in
compression is larger than that in
rebound.
5. Conclusion

[7] Salem A.M. and

Galal W.
"Identification of Characteristics of
Hydraulic Shock Absorbers Used in
Light
Weight
Tracked
Vehicles
"Proceeding of 13th International ASAT
Conference. May 26 28, Egypt, 2009.

1- From the experimental work, it is

concluded that changing the orifice area,
oil pressure and speed have a significant
effect on damping coefficient of the semiactive damper which is used in this
research. But the effect of changing the
gas accumulator pressure is less
significant than the former one.

[8] Giaconomin J. "Neural network

simulation of an automotive shock
absorber" Engng Engineering Application
of Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 4 No.1
pp59-64, 1991.

2- It is also found that the damping

coefficient in compression is different
than in rebound and this could improve
the ride comfort and handling (stability)
with crucial grade.

[9] Surace, C., Warden and Tomlinson

G.R. "On the non linear characteristics of
automotive shock absorber" Proc. Instn.
Mech. Engrs Vol. 206 IMechE, 1992.

6.References
[1] Ing. Ale Blkovsk "Measuring
Characteristics of Damper" published by
Czech, 2009

[10] Segel L. and Lang H.H. "The

mechanics of automotive hydraulic
damper at high stroking frequencies
"Proc. 7th IVASd Symposium on the
Dynamics of Vehicles, pp 194-214, 1981.

[2] Grzegorz LASKI "Damping

Parameters of Suspension of Passenger
Vehicle Equipped with Semi-Active
Dampers with by Pass Valve "Journal of
Transport Problem Vol.6 No. 18960596
pp35-42, 2011.

[11] Adel Aziz H. and Khalefa E.E.

"Suspension Characteristics Test rig",

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Vol. 31, No 2, July 2012

Minia Journal of Engineering and Technology, (MJET)

Displacement, m

Report, Automotive & Tractor Eng.

Department, Minia University, 1997.

Velocity, m/sec

[12] N.K.Bose [1985] "Digital filters

theory and application" Published by
North-Holland, 1985.

Fig.6 The damper characteristics test rig

and test apparatus.

0.01
0
-0.01

0.5

1.5

1.5

1.5

0.01

0.02

Time, S

0.05
0
-0.05

0.5

1
Time, S

Force, N

200
100
0
-100 0

0.5

-200

Force,N

Time, S

200
100
0
-0.03 -0.02 -0.01-100 0
-200

0.03

Velocity, m/S

Fig.7 the displacement, velocity, force

versus time and force versus velocity at
5bar oil pressure, 20 bar gas accumulator
gas pressure, third orifice and 0.4 Hz .

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Vol. 31, No 2, July 2012

Minia Journal of Engineering and Technology, (MJET)

10 bar

15 bar

20 bar

25 bar
damping coefficient, N.s/m

5 bar

300

Force, N

200
100

-0.03

-0.02

0
-0.01
0
-100

0.01

0.02

0.03

1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0

10

-200
Velocity, m/S

c2(1696)

c4(723.14)

c5(255.26)

damping coefficiebt, N.s/m

c1(3320)

c3(1166)

300

Force, N

200
100
-0.01-100 0

1000
800
600
400
200
0
0

0.01

0.02

30 bar

25 bar

15 bar

10 bar

5 bar

on

1200
damping coeffiecient, N.s/m

35 bar

20 bar

300
200
Force, N

Fig.13 The effect of orifices area

damping coefficient.

Fig. 9 The effect of changing orifice area at

0.4Hz

100
0
-0.01-100 0

4
orifice area

-200

-0.02

0.03

Velocity, m/S

-0.03

on

1200

0
-0.02

30

Fig.12 The effect of oil pressure

damping coefficient.

Fig. 8 The effect of oil pressure changing

at 0.4Hz

-0.03

20

pressure, bar

1000
800
600
400
200
0

0.01

0.02

0.03

10

20

30

40

accumulator pressure, bar

-200

Fig.14 The effect of accumulator gas

pressure on damping coefficient.

Velocity, m/S

Fig.10 The effect of changing accumulator

gas pressure at 0.4Hz
0.1634 Hz

0.1946 Hz

0.2639 Hz

0.3509 Hz

0.4 Hz

0.5076 Hz

0.8264 Hz

3000

C, N.s/m

0.0892 Hz

3500

Force, N

200

-100 0

1500
500
0

0
-0.05

2000
1000

100
-0.1

2500

0.05

0.1

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

velocity, m/s

-200
Velocity, m/s

Fig.13 The effect of speed on damping

coefficient.

Fig.11 Shows the effect of changing

velocity frequency from (0.0892 to
0.8964Hz)

208