Active suspension kinematics and their advanced model-based control

The following thesis covers the kinematic analysis of a new multi-actuator suspension system that allows independent steering and dynamic variation of the track width. Advanced software is used for the analysis of the system's behavior: ADAMS for multi-body dynamics, MATLAB and Simulink to design the control system, and SolidWorks for mechanical modelling. Polynomials equations were fitted to model the behavior of the following key system parameters, which would further improve computational efficiency and enhance the system for integration with real-time simulations: steering angle, track width variation, and actuator dynamics. The polynomial approximations minimize the complexity of the dynamic model of the system while retaining sufficient accuracy for control purposes. A path-tracking controller, using NMPC, accounting for the dynamics of all actuators to track trajectories, has been designed. The controller was used to implement the case of obstacle avoidance and proved capable of managing the system's actuators with efficiency while tracking a predefined path. It can be noticed that the presented control system and suspension design have great potential for vehicle agility and stability improvements.