Tyre Load Analysis of Hydro-Pneumatic Interconnected Suspension with Zero Warp Suspension Stiffness 2015-01-0630

The purpose of this paper is to present a concept of Hydro-Pneumatic Interconnected Suspension (HPIS) and investigate the unique property of the zero warp suspension stiffness. Due to the decoupling of warp mode from other modes, the road holding ability of the vehicle is maximized meanwhile the roll stability and ride comfort can be tuned independently and optimally without compromise. Ride comfort can be improved with reduced bounce stiffness and the progressive air spring rate can reduce the requirement of suspension deflection space. The roll stability can also be improved by increased roll stiffness. Vehicle suspension system modelling and modal analysis are carried out and compared with conventional suspension. The frequency response of tyres' dynamic load reveals that the proposed zero-warp-stiffness suspension enables the free articulation of front and rear axles at low frequency. The wheel load transfer is significantly reduced when travelling on uneven off-road surface at low speed, hence the handling/traction performance are greatly improved and twisting load on vehicle body/frame can be reduced.