Full-Scale Magnetorheological Fluid Dampers for Heavy Vehicle Rollover

Abstract

A unique magnetorheological fluid (MRF) bypass damper for heavy vehicle controllable suspension systems is designed, fabricated, and tested. The damper can generate nearly 8000 N which meets the maximum force requirement for preventing heavy vehicle rollover under certain crucial circumstances. A dynamic simulation of the rollover performance of a heavy vehicle incorporated with four MRF dampers is carried out using a vehicle dynamic software. Emergency maneuver and rollover scenario are simulated. The results show that the MRF dampers could achieve better performance for protection from the vehicle rollover. It is estimated that the roll angle can be reduced by 45% compared to the regular original equipment manufacturer (OEM) passive dampers.