Modified active disturbance rejection control for non-linear semi-active vehicle suspension with magneto-rheological damper

This paper presents a novel idea processing the complex non-linear dynamics of a magneto-rheological (MR) damper and the external road disturbance based on the linear extended state observer (LESO) technology, and further verifies its reasonability by application of linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) in the quarter-car non-linear semi-active suspension system. In order to optimize the body acceleration and dynamic tyre load to improve the ride comfort and road-handling ability, a modified active disturbance rejection control, the double linear active disturbance rejection control (DLADRC), is further proposed based on the idea of the hybrid skyhook–groundhook control strategy. LESO is used to estimate the total disturbance including the external road disturbance and the internal non-linear dynamic of the MR damper. For effectiveness validation of the proposed control scheme, comparison results with the existing linear quadratic regulation (LQR) control, hybrid skyhook–groundhook control and adaptive control strategies are presented for the same quarter-car semi-active suspension. It is shown from the simulation comparisons among these several control strategies that the semi-active suspension system with DLADRC has a better control performance on the ride comfort and road-handling ability corresponding to the body acceleration and dynamic tyre load.