Advanced vehicle dynamics control systems through active aerodynamics

After a brief literature overview and benchmark analysis about active suspensions systems and active aerodynamics, the development procedure of two innovative control algorithms is shown. Both control algorithms are aimed to improve handling performance of an high-end sport vehicle by actively controlling aerodynamic forces acting on the vehicle itself. The first algorithm described operates indirectly by modifying ride-heights of the vehicle through an active suspensions system. The second acts directly by operating active aerodynamic surfaces fitted on the vehicle body. In both cases, the vehicle dynamics analysis, object of this thesis work, is conducted in parallel to the aerodynamics analysis performed and described in another thesis work (reference in the thesis document), simulating a concurrent engineering operation between vehicle dynamics and aerodynamics departments. The software used for control algorithms development is VI-CarRealTime, in cosimulation with Matlab-Simulink, with an extended use of MaxPerformance package. Specific tracks have been implemented ad hoc to highlight the effects of the control systems operation in development phase. Finally, the effectiveness of the two algorithms is validated in a static simulator testing session on a real racing track.