A New Magneto-rheological Fluid Damper for High-mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)

Abstract

This study focuses on the design, development, and testing of a new magnetorheological fluid (MRF) damper for high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV). The new damper is designed to provide controllability while keeping the same geometrical dimensions as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) damper. To design a fail-safe MRF damper, MRF behavior is simulated using the Bingham Plastic model, and the magnetic field distribution is obtained by a three-dimensional electromagnetic finite element analysis. A fail-safe MRF damper is referred to one which retains a minimum damping capacity comparable to that of OEM damper in the event of a power supply or electronic system failure. The proposed MRF damper is designed to achieve non-symmetrical force characteristics with different force responses at rebound and compression phases. Theoretical predictions and experimental results are presented for the force—displacement and force— velocity behaviors of the damper under different input motions, various magnetic fields, and different MR fluids.