An Optimal Method for Calculating Suspension Spring Stiffness Based on Roll Angle and Roll Acceleration Values

Abstract The stiffness of the suspension spring plays a vital role in maintaining the vehicle’s ride comfort during vibration. An optimal calculation method is proposed in this paper to find the ideal stiffness value of the suspension spring. Firstly, a half-dynamic model is established to describe the vehicle’s vibration. Then, an optimal calculation method is formulated, which consists of two steps: running the loop to find the Root Mean Square (RMS) values of the vibration and determining the ideal stiffness value based on finding the minimum values of roll angle and roll acceleration. According to the study’s findings, the ideal stiffness of the suspension spring is 36900 N/m, obtained in the first case. Even when the excitation amplitude increases (in the second case), the ideal stiffness value is still 36900 N/m, achieved using the proposed method. This helps to demonstrate the correctness of the optimal method established in this paper. Finally, the vehicle vibration is investigated using the optimal stiffness value above.