A digital controller was designed for a semiactive primary suspension for a class 8 highway truck. The controller used a skyhook policy (where the semiactive damper simulates a damper between the sprung mass and an inertial reference) to control magneto-rheological dampers placed on the truck 's primary suspension in response to measurements made by accelerometers placed on the axle and the truck frame. The completed system was then tested for both random noise (on highway driving) and impulse (speed bump) response. The test results showed that for the damping tuning and controller arrangements used in this study, semiactive dampers do not offer any significant benefits in reducing overall vibration levels at the truck frame or axles. The semiactive dampers, however, provided better control of the dynamic transients, such as roll and pitch induced by hitting speed bumps, as compared to passive dampers. Further assessment of the magneto-rheological damper's tuning and the skyhook control policy is needed to establish any definitive conclusions on the potential benefits of semiactive magneto-rheological suspensions for heavy trucks. / Master of Science

In recent years, a flurry of interest has been shown for a relatively old technology called magneto-rheological fluids, or MR fluids. Multiple types of devices have been designed to implement this versatile fluid, including linear dampers, clutches, work-piece fixtures, and polishing machines. The devices have been used in automobiles, washing machines, bicycles, prosthetic limbs, and even smart structures. This thesis focuses on another application of MR dampers, involving super-sport motorcycles. This paper introduces the topics of MR dampers and motorcycle suspensions, and why the two would be a good combination. A detailed history of MR fluids, MR dampers, and motorcycle suspension technologies is given next. After a broad outline of MR dampers and motorcycle suspensions, the method of designing and manufacturing MR dampers is discussed. The damper design for this research is presented in detail, along with the design procedure used to make it. Next, laboratory testing for it is covered, including the test equipment, test procedure, and the laboratory test results. Upon laboratory test completion, the field test setup and procedure are presented. The results of field tests with stock dampers and MR dampers with a variety of control systems is discussed. The MR dampers provided a more stable ride than that of the OEM dampers. By reducing suspension displacement, settling time, and suspension oscillations, the MR dampers were able to reduce suspension geometry instability. Lastly, concluding remarks are made on the research presented. Design flaws are discussed, as well as recommendations for future work in the same area. / Master of Science

Le vieillissement de la population dans notre société moderne va entraîner de nouveaux besoins pour l’assistance aux personnes âgées et pour la réhabilitation. Les exosquelettes sont une piste de recherche prenant de plus en plus d’importance pour répondre à ces nouveaux challenges. Deux de ces challenges sont, la réalisation d’un contrôle naturel pour l’utilisateur et la sécurité. Cette maîtrise cherche à répondre à ces deux problématiques. Nous avons donc développé un outil de travail informatique utilisant les décharges électriques produites par les neurones moteurs pour contracter les muscles et un modèle des os et des muscles du bras. Cet outil utilise la librairie informatique ROS et OpenSim. Elle permet de connaître la force et le mouvement développés par le coude. De plus, un autre outil informatique a été développé pour optimiser le modèle des os et des muscles du bras pour le personnaliser à l’utilisateur pour un meilleur résultat. Une carte d’acquisition utilisant des électrodes de surface pouvant être reliées avec un ordinateur par USB et compatible avec ROS a été développée. Pour tester les algorithmes développés, un exosquelette pour le coude utilisant un actionneur compliant et contrôlé en force a été conçu. Pour compenser le poids de l’exosquelette et l’effet d’amortissement passif de l’actionneur, une compensation de gravité dynamique a été développée. Finalement, des expérimentations ont été menées sur l’efficacité de l’optimisation du modèle et sur l’exosquelette avec les différents algorithmes.

Orientador: José Manoel Balthazar / Banca: Bento Rodrigues de Pontes Junior / Banca: Vicente Lopes Junior / Resumo: Nesta dissertação faz-se a análise da dinâmica não-linear de um sistema que possui preso a ele um motor de corrente contínua com potência limitada, onde são acoplados uma mola não linear e um amortecedor do tipo magneto-reológico (dispositivo que tem como fluído interno o fluído magneto-reológico). Com o objetivo de estudar e analisar a influência deste dispositivo na dinâmica do oscilador. Inicialmente apresenta-se uma breve descrição do tipo de problema estudado (sistemas não ideais) e uma revisão dos principais trabalhos que têm sido feitos tendo este dispositivo como foco de estudos. Apresentam-se os modelos utilizados para prever o comportamento destes dispositivos e também uma síntese de alguns modelos (mecânicos e matemáticos) mais elaborados e completos utilizados também para prever este comportamento. A partir daí é feita a apresentação do modelo que prevê o comportamento do amortecedor MR utilizado (modelo Bingham) e de uma suavização do mesmo, utilizada com o objetivo de melhorar o comportamento computacional do modelo inicial, junto a isso, apresenta-se a modelagem matemática do problema visando à obtenção das equações governantes do sistema. Faz-se então a análise do sistema durante a passagem pela ressonância (onde a freqüência de rotação do motor CC se aproxima numericamente e passa pela freqüência natural do sistema), analisando o efeito deste amortecedor durante esta passagem, analisa-se também a influência do dispositivo na evolução do Efeito Sommerfeld, um dos fenômenos intrínsecos desta classe de sistemas e também é feita uma analise do sistema em condições de movimento caótico também com o objetivo de prever o comportamento deste dispositivo, tudo isso é executado através da integração numérica das equações governantes do sistema. Para efeito de ilustração apresenta-se, também, uma pequena amostra do comportamento do sistema ideal paralelo ao estudado ... / Abstract: In this dissertation it made the analysis of the nonlinear dynamics of a system that possess to fixed it a direct-current motor with limited power, where is connected a damper of the type Magnetorheological (device that has as fluid intern the fluid Magnetorheological), with the objective to study and to analyze the influence of this device in the dynamics of the oscillator. Initially one brief description of the type of studied problem is presented (nonideal systems) and a revision of the main works that have been made having this device as focus of studies. The used models are presented to predict the behavior of these devices and also a synthesis of some models (mechanics and mathematicians) more elaborated and complete also used to predict this behavior. To continue this work, we present the model that predict the behavior of used MR damper (the Bingham Model) and a smoothing of the same, used with the objective to improve the computational behavior of the initial model and the mathematical modeling of the problem, together this, we show mathematical modeling of this problem aiming at to the attainment of the governing equations of the system. The analysis of the system it is made then during the passage for the resonance (where the frequency of DC motor it approaches numerically and crosses the natural frequency of the system), analyzing the effect of this damper during this passage, the influence of the device in the evolution of Sommerfeld Effect is also analyzed, one of the intrinsic phenomena of this classroom of systems and also is made a analyzes of the system in conditions of chaotic motions also with the objective to predict the behavior of this device, everything this is executed through the numerical integration of the governing equations of the system. For illustration effect it is presented, also, a small sample of the behavior of the parallel ideal system to the studied one, also with the presence of shock absorber MR, in the.. / Mestre

Many devices are available on the market for the evaluation and rehabilitation of patients suffering from muscular disorders. Most of them are small, low-cost, passive devices based on the use of springs and resistive elements and exhibit very limited (or even not any) evaluation capabilities; extended muscular force evaluation is only possible on stationary, expensive, multi-purpose devices, available only in hospitals, which offer many exercise modes (e.g. isokinetic mode) that are not available on other devices. The objective of this thesis is to make the functionalities currently only implemented on bulky multi-purpose devices available at a lower cost and in a portable fashion, enabling their use by a large number of independent practitioners and patients, even at home (tele-medecine applications). In order to achieve this goal, a portable rehabilitation device, using a magneto-rheological fluid brake as actuator, has been designed. This particular technology was selected for its high level of compactness, simple mechanical design, high controllability, smooth and safe operation. The first part of this thesis is devoted to the design of MR-fluid brakes and their experimental validation. The second part is dedicated to the design of the rehabilitation device and the comparison of its performances with a commercial multi-purpose device (CYBEX).

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The design of nonlinear adaptive control systems for reducing vibration transmission in applications such as transportation systems is discussed. The systems studied include suspension systems, such as those used in vehicles, employing nonlinear magneto-rheological (MR) dampers that are controlled to provide improved vibration isolation. Magneto-rheological dampers use a novel class of smart fluid whose apparent viscosity changes as it is exposed to a magnetic field. The developed adaptive control scheme is designed to deal with the nonlinearities and uncertainties that commonly arise in most suspension applications. Some of the nonlinearities that are considered include time-varying characteristics, displacement-dependent effects, and hysterisis damping of magneto-rheological dampers. The uncertainties include mass and stiffness variations that can commonly occur in a suspension system. A number of nonlinear analytical models are developed and used in numerical simulation to evaluate the validity and effectiveness of the developed adaptive controllers. Further, the results of the numerical study are used in an experimental evaluation of the controllers on a seat suspension for heavy vehicles. The analytical and experimental evaluation both indicate the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive control technique in controlling vibration transmission in the presence of both system nonlinearities and uncertainties. The manuscript will provide a detail account of the modeling, dynamic analysis, adaptive control development, and testing that was performed throughout this study. / Ph. D.

This study aims to better understand the behavior of magnetorheological (MR) fluids operated in the non-conventional squeeze mode through the use of a custom designed rheometer. Squeeze mode is the least understood of the three operational modes of MR fluid and thus its potential has yet to be realized in practical applications. By identifying the behavior of MR fluid in this mode, the foundation for future development of MR technology will be laid. Using the limited amount of literature available on squeeze-mode operation in conjunction with conventional principles associated with MR technology, a custom rheometer was designed and fabricated. A detailed account of the design considerations and background information on the fundamentals incorporated into the design are provided. The squeeze-mode rheometer was used to evaluate a variety of MR fluids to observe trends that may exist across fluids. Specifically, fluids of different ferrous particle volume fractions were considered. Through testing, common trends in fluid stiffness were observed for multiple fluids tested with the squeeze-mode rheometer. When operated in squeeze mode, activated MR fluid has shown to provide substantial resistance to compressive loading, possibly making it attractive for low-displacement high-load systems. The primary observation from the tests is that the activated fluid's stiffness progressively increases over the duration of fluid operation. This phenomenon is due to severe carrier-fluid separation coupled with the formation of ferrous particle aggregate clumps in the fluid. This effect is further explored in this research. / Master of Science

A Finite Element model was built to analyze and examine a 2-D axisymmetric MR damper. This model has been validated with the experimental data. The results obtained in this thesis will help designers to create more efficient and reliable MR dampers. We can create some design analysis to change the shape of the piston in the damper or other parameters in the model. The main benefit of this research is to show a 2-D MR damper and generate the magnetic flux density along the MR Fluid gap. We can detect saturation by looking at the nodal solution for the magnetic flux density. Increasing the current in the model, results in an increase in magnetic induction. We studied four different configurations of an MR damper piston in order to determine how changing the shape of the piston affects the maximum force that the damper can provide. In designing MR dampers, the designer always faces the challenge of providing the largest forces in the most compact and efficient envelope. Therefore, it is important to identify the configuration that gives more force in less space. In chapter 4, shows the magnetic flux density contour before and after reaching the rheological saturation. By increasing the current, the color spectrum of the magnetic flux density will shift from the MR fluid gap to the piston centerline. In chapter 5, we provided a reasonably good amount of force in model 4 at 1.4 Amps, but it reaches saturation before the other models. For cases with power constraint or heat build up limitations, this model could work the best among the four designs that we considered. For cases where higher electrical currents can be tolerated, model 3 would be the most advantageous design, since it provides the largest force among the four models. / Master of Science