Optimal Seat and Suspension Design for a Half-Car with Driver Model Using Genetic Algorithm

Wael Abbas, Ashraf Emam, Saeed Badran, Mohamed Shebl, Ossama Abouelatta

Automotive and Tractors Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering (Mataria), Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, KSA.
Engineering Physics and Mathematics Department, Faculty of Engineering (Mataria), Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mechanical Design Department, Faculty of Engineering (Mataria), Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, KSA ;Engineering and Mechanical Design Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/ica.2013.42024                

Abstract

This paper presents an optimal vehicle and seat suspension design for a half-car vehicle model to reduce human-body vibration (whole-body vibration). A genetic algorithm is applied to search for the optimal parameters of the seat and vehicle suspension. The desired objective is proposed as the minimization of a multi-objective function formed by the combination of seat suspension working space (seat suspension deflection), head acceleration, and seat mass acceleration to achieve the best comfort of the driver. With the aid of Matlab/Simulink software, a simulation model is achieved. In solving this problem, the genetic algorithms have consistently found near-optimal solutions within specified parameters ranges for several independent runs. For validation, the solution obtained by GA was compared to the ones of the passive suspensions through sinusoidal excitation of the seat suspension system for the currently used suspension systems.

Keywords

Biodynamic Response; Genetic Algorithms; Multi-Objective Optimization; Mathematical Model

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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