PAMM Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 7, 41300034130004 (2007) / DOI 10.1002/pamm.

200700115

Modeling of a vehicle seat suspension system with pneumatic spring and

viscous dampers
Sebastian Chamera1 , Igor Maciejewski1 , and Tomasz Krzyzynski1
1
Department of Applied Mechanics and Mechatronics; Koszalin University of Technology; Raclawicka St. 15-17;
PL-75-620 Koszalin, Poland.

The paper contains physical and mathematical model of the passive system of seat suspension, used in trucks and buses.
Spring force in this system is performed by air spring, whereas damping force is generated by two viscous dampers. Based
on the experimental research of characteristic parts of the suspension system, the parameters of mathematical model are
determined. Both results of computer simulations and experiments are presented as power spectral density of acceleration
courses, measured on seat, in comparison with courses measured on excitation platform in laboratory. Transmissibility of real
system and its model are also presented in the paper.

2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

1 Introduction
The driver seats, that are serial applied in trucks and buses, possess in most cases a passive suspension, what means that they
have resonance effect. For that reason, in many cases we have situation, when low frequency vibrations of the cabin floor are
even amplified on the seat. It results from this, that passive suspensions can not manage vibration with frequencies from about
0,5 to 10 Hz. Thus, in further part of this work mathematical model of passive model will be presented. This model will allow
to study in a numeric way a maintenance of a typical seat at different excitations.

2 Physical and mathematical model of the passive seat suspension

Physical model of passive seat suspension system is shown in Fig.1a. Mathematical model is given by following equations:
mx = Fs + Fd + Ft + Fg , (1)
where the air-spring force is described as [1]:
1
Fs = Ae (p pa ) (2)
is
and at isothermal process assumption, as:
pV = const. (3)
Force of two viscous dampers:


1 (x xs ) for x xs > 0,
Fd = 2 2 (4)
id ( x xs ) for x xs < 0.
Friction force [3]:
x xs
Ft = Ftw . (5)
1 + c|x xs |
Gravity force:
Fg = mg. (6)
where: m - mass of the seat and driver; x - displacement of the seat; xs - displacement of the cabin floor; is - the ratio between
the air spring motion and the motion of whole suspension system; Ae - effective area of the air spring; p - temporary value of
the pressure; V - temporary value of the air spring volume; - adiabatic index; id - the ratio between viscous dampers motion
and the motion of the whole suspension system; and - viscous damping coefficients; Ftw - value of the friction force; c -
transient parameter of the friction force. Each unknown parameters are evaluated by additional measurements.

Corresponding author: e-mail: schamera@interia.pl, Phone: +48 94 3478 395, Fax: +48 94 3426 753

2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

GAMM Sections 4130004

3 Results of simulation and experimental research

Some results of simulation and experiment are shown in Fig.1b. The power spectral densities of acceleration (PSD) and
transmissibility functions were simulated and measured for BBA excitation (band-limited white noise signal) and for two ex-
citations according to ISO 7096 standard [2]: EM3 (high amplitudes of vibration at low frequencies) and EM6 (low amplitudes
of vibration at higher frequencies).

Fig. 1 a) Physical model of the seat suspension, b) Measured and simulated power spectral densities of acceleration (PSD)
and transmissibility functions of the seat suspension for different excitation signals

In each case of excitation signal the satisfactory fitting of simulated and measured curves are achieved. The highest relative
error (about 9%) of seat amplitude transmissibility factor [2] is obtained for EM6 excitation signal. For BBA and EM3 signals
the corresponding values are 2% and 3% respectively.

4 Conclusions
Described seat suspension system is inefficient in frequency range 4-9 Hz (the most important range for truck drivers vibro-
isolation systems). The best vibro-isolation properties are achieved in system loaded by mass of 120 kg - the biggest used in
research. The main problem is uneven characteristic of viscous dampers - large damping in case of extension, small in case
of compression. In order to improve the vibro-isolation properties, the different characteristic is needed. This model of seat
suspension, compared to real suspension system, will be used for simulation research, to check possibilities of using active
system, applied to that passive one.

References
[1] P. Beater: Pneumatic Drives, System Design, Modelling and Control - Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 2007
[2] ISO 7096: Earth-moving machinery - Laboratory evaluation of operator seat vibration, 2000
[3] G.J. Stein, R. Zahoransky, P. Mucka, R. Chmurny H. Meyer: On dry-friction modelling in simple, kinematically excited, vibration
isolation systems - Proceedings of ISMA, 2004

2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim