1

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology

Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program (HEEAP)
Homework1 - Report

Course name: System dynamics and Controls Course code: 218023
Date of submit 22/3/2012 Instructor Code Nguyen Duy Anh 0.3038
Group: 9
Member
1. on B Hip (Leader) 20900864
2. Nguyn T Hi 20900734
3. Trn Trng Nhn 20801455
4. Nguyn Duy Cng 20900305

Topic:

Suspension System for a Motorcycle


The purpose of a motorcycle suspension system is to reduce the vibrations and forces caused by bumpy
road conditions. Irregularities in the roads surface cause the motorcycle to move vertically as well as
rotate about an axis. Neglecting the mass of the tires, the system consists of a single mass (vehicle frame
plus driver) that has vertical motion and rotation.This is an example of a MIMO system
Solution:

2


For modeling, choose a coordinate system that allows vertical translation of the center of mass and
rotation about the center of mass. The frame and driver of the motorcycle are considered to be a single
rigid body with mass M and moment of inertia J. The input displacements, Y
a
and Y
b
, at each wheel
represent the road conditions. Let the suspension system for each axle consist of a spring and a dashpot
The total force exerted on the frame by each wheel is given by the sum of the damping force and the
spring force :
. F
a
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
a a
a
a
y K
dt
dy
C
. F
b
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
b b
b
b
y K
dt
dy
C
(1)
y
a
and y
b
represent the instantaneous displacement of each spring from reference.
With the initial conditions y
a0
= 0, y
b0
= 0 .The Laplace transform of the equation gives:

( )
a a a a a
y K y s C F * * * + =

( )
b b b b b
y K y s C F * * * + =


( )
a a a a
y y K s C + = *

( )
b b b b
y y K s C + = *


We have:
a a
Y L Y = u sin * y
a

b b b
Y L Y y + = u sin *

Assume sinu

u ~ for small angular displacements :
a a
Y L Y = u sin * y
a

b b b
Y L Y y + = u sin *
(2)
Combining (1) with (2) gives:
3


( ) ( ) ( ) u
a a
L - Y - Y *
a a a
K s C F + =


( ) ( ) ( ) u
b b
L Y - Y * + + =
b b b
K s C F

Or define
a a a
K s C Z + = *
&
b b b
K s C Z + = *
gives:
( ) ( ) u
a a
L - Y - Y
a a
Z F =

( ) ( ) u
b b
L Y - Y + =
b b
Z F

The system equation is:
M
t d
Y d
2
2
= F
a
+F
b

With the initial conditions Y
0
= 0, the Laplace transform of the system equation gives:

( ) ( ) u
a a
2
L - Y - Y
a
Z Y Ms =
+
( ) ( ) u
b b
L Y - Y +
b
Z


( ) ( )
b b a a b b a a b a
Y Z Y Z L Z L Z Y Z Z + = + + u
2
s * M
(I)
We perform a torque balance with the center of mass as a pivot point, one has:
a a b b a a b b
L f L f L f L f
t d
d
J ~ = u u
u
cos cos
2
2
( cos 1 ~ u )
With the initial conditions u = 0, the Laplace transform :
( ) | | ( ) | | u u u
a a a b b
2
L - Y - Y Z - L Y - Y
a b b
L L Z Js + =


( ) ( )
b b b a a a b b a a b b a a
Y L Z Y L Z Y L Z L Z L Z L Z Js + = + + u
2 2 2
(II)

combining (I) with (II) gives :

{
( ) ( )
b b a a b b a a b a
Y Z Y Z L Z L Z Y Z Z + = + + u
2
Ms
( ) ( )
b b b a a a b b a a b b a a
Y L Z Y L Z L Z L Z Js Y L Z L Z + = + + + u
2 2 2


Or define

b a
Z Z + +
2
s * M
= A

( )
b b a a
L Z L Z
= B

( )
b b a a
L Z L Z
= C

2 2 2
b b a a
L Z L Z Js + +
= D
We obtain:
{

or
{

4

Block diagram of motorcycle suspension system.

Summary :
AD BC
D Z D L Z
Y
Y
a a a
a


=

AD BC
D Z D L Z
Y
Y
b b b
b

=

BC DA
C Z A L Z
Y
a a a
a


=
u

BC DA
C Z A L Z
Y
b b b
b

=
u










5










Reference:
Book:
1. Katsuhiko Ogata, Modern control engineering, 5
th
, Prentice Hall, pp.3-11
2. Dynamic modeling and control of engineering systems, 3
th
, Bodhan T.Kulakowski
Website:
1. http://www.profjrwhite.com