Method for Controlling Wheel End Loading through Pothole Event Using Continuously Variable Dampers 2017-01-1487

A semi-active suspension system is designed to improve secondary ride by lowering damping levels while maintaining or enhancing primary ride control and vehicle handling. In order to provide optimized ride comfort, base damping levels are reduced. Reduced damping levels increase damaging loads through pothole events. The Road Load Mitigation (RLM) algorithm seeks to resolve the tradeoff of high damping levels required to control the vertical and horizontal spindle loads and the need for lower damping forces to improve secondary ride. As the base active damping forces are increased to control these loads, ride benefits or vehicle ride comfort is diminished. RLM looks at suspension velocity at all four corners independently to determine if a pothole signature is detected and requires compensation. Compensation is delivered quickly to reduce wheel drop into the pothole thereby reducing damaging loads. When detection occurs on the front axle, rear axle damping levels are increased just before the pothole event occurs.