Development of multi DOF virtual test rig for vehicles

Today, the developments in computer simulation technologies have promoted the use of virtual prototyping techniques more intensively. Virtual prototyping provides a significant increase in efficiency in terms of both time and costs in engineering design studies, while at the same time significantly improving the effectiveness of design activities. This thesis aims developing a multi-DOF virtual road simulator that can be used simulate the dynamic characteristics of vehicles navigating on a road and that the developed virtual road simulator can provide desired displacement, forces and moment values to the vehicle tires. A three-dimensional solid model of the mechanical structure of the virtual road simulator was created and the dimensions of the members of designed mechanism were optimized by using the Hooke-Jeeves (Pattern Search) Algorithm. The hydraulic control system that drives the road simulator mechanism and related automatic control architecture is developed to simulate the road profile and forces acting on the vehicle tire while traveling. The Bees Algorithm is used to determine the characteristic parameters of the servo valves. PID controllers (which are widely used in the industry) are designed and used in simulation of the multi-DOF virtual vehicle test rig. Road simulations are conducted as co-simulations by using multi-body dynamic analysis platform ADAMS and MATLAB softwares. The reference input values applied to the control system and the actual output values were compared to validate the developed road simulator.