Active vibration control to reduce vibrations and structure borne noise is considered using a powerful multi-disciplinary virtual design environment which enables control system design to be considered as an integral part of the overall vehicle design. The main application studied is active automotive engine vibration isolation where, first, the potential of large frequency band multi-input multi-output H2 feedback control is considered. Facilitated by the virtual environment, it is found necessary to take non-linear characteristics into account to achieve closed-loop stability. A physical explanation to why receiver structure flexibility insignificantly affect the open and closed-loop characteristics in case of total force feedback in contrast to acceleration feedback is then given. In this context, the inherent differences between model order reduction by modal and by balanced truncation are being stressed. Next, applying state-of-the-art algorithms for recursive parameter estimation, time-domain adaptive filtering is shown to lack sufficient tracking performance to deal with multiple spectral components of transient engine excitations corresponding to rapid car accelerations. Finally, plant non-linearity as well as transient excitation are successfully handled using narrow band control based on feedback of disturbance states estimates. To deal with the non-linear characteristics, an approach to generate linear parameter varying descriptions of non-linear systems is proposed. Parameter dependent quadratic stability is assessed using a derived affine closed-loop system representation. This thesis also considers actuator saturation induced limit cycles for observer-based state feedback control systems encountered when dealing with the active isolation application. It is stressed that the fundamental observer-based anti-windup technique could imply severely deteriorated closed-loop characteristics and even sustained oscillations. That is in the case when the observer is fed by the saturated control signal in contrast to the computed one. Based on piecewise affine system descriptions, analytical tools to conclude about limit cycles and exponential closed-loop stability are provided for the two observer implementations.

Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE) manufactures wheel loaders, articulated haulers, and excavators. By the end of 2030, the company hopes to have reduced the carbon footprint of its machines by 30 %. To increase energy efficiency and productivity, VCE is focused on developing futuristic wheel loaders that are both electric and autonomous. VCE has unveiled its latest autonomous wheel loader prototype called Zeux. This thesis work aims to create a simulation setup that includes a vehicle model of Zeux and a driver model that is optimised for the machine to complete a certain drive/load cycle. This simulation setup will be used to examine the machine’s performance, energy usage, and efficiency and compare it to a conventional machine to determine its advantages and limitations. The new vehicle model was created by modifying a conventional electric machine’s vehicle modeland a new four-wheel steering system was developed. A driver model was developed based on a condition-based decision tree and state machines with unique controllers for each driver input. This complete vehicle-driver simulation set-up has been tunedand optimised with respect to energy efficiency and productivity. The simulation results are then compared to the results of a similar conventional electric machine simulation model. According to the comparison study, the autonomous wheel loader concept has better productivity, lower hydraulic energy consumption as well as lower overall energy consumption compared to the conventional machine. It can complete the drive cycle much more efficiently despite having a similar powertrain and loading unit as the conventional machine. / Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE) tillverkar hjullastare, midjestyrda dumprar och grävmaskiner. I slutet av 2030 hoppas företaget ha minskat koldioxidavtrycket för sina maskiner med 30 %. För att öka energieffektiviteten och produktivitet är VCE fokuserade på att utveckla framtida hjullastare som både är elektriska och autonoma. VCE har presenterat sitt senaste autonoma hjullastarprototyp som heter Zeux. Detta examensarbete syftar till att skapa en simuleringsmiljö som innehåller en fordonsmodell av Zeux och en förarmodell som är optimerad för att maskinen ska klara en viss kör-/lastcykel. De framtagna modellerna ska sedan användas för att undersöka maskinens prestanda, energianvändning och effektivitet och jämföra resultaten med en konventionell elektrisk maskin för att fastställa dess fördelar och begränsningar. Den nya fordonsmodellen skapades genom att modifiera en konventionell elektrisk maskins fordonsmodell och ett nytt fyrhjulsstyrningssystem utvecklades. En förarmodell utvecklades baserad på ett tillståndsbaserat beslutsträd och tillståndsmaskiner med unika regulatorer för varje drivrutin. Den kompletta simuleringsmodellen har justerats och optimerats med avseende på energianvändning och produktivitet. Resultaten jämfördes sedan med simuleringsresultat av en liknande konventionell elektrisk hjullastare. Enligt jämförelsestudien, har konceptet med autonoma hjullastare bättre produktivitet, lägre hydrauliskenergiförbrukning samt lägre total energiförbrukning jämfört med den konventionella maskinen. Den kan slutföra körcykeln mycket mer effektivt samtidigt trots att den har en liknande drivlina och lastenhet som den konventionell maskin.

Im Beitrag wird die Nutzung des Mehrkörper-Simulationsprogrammes alaska zur Entwicklung eines Fahrmoduls für mobile Roboter vorgestellt. Das Ziel bei der Entwicklung des Moduls war, mobile Roboter mit höheren Fahrgeschwindigkeiten zu realisieren als vergleichbare Systeme mit omnidirektionalen Rädern. Die Nutzung von Simulationsrechnungen stellte vom ersten Entwurf einen elementaren Bestandteil der Gesamtentwicklung dar. So flossen immer wieder Erkenntnisse aus den Simulationen in die Weiterentwicklung ein. Die Mehrkörpersysteme (MKS) wurden im Programm alaska aufgebaut. Am Beginn des Entwicklungsprozesses bestanden die Simulationsmodelle aus wenigen Elementen, um das grundsätzliche Bewegungsverhalten zu analysieren. Darauf aufbauend wurden komplexere Simulationsmodelle genutzt, die sich zur Bestimmung des Einflusses von Parametern auf das Bewegungsverhalten eignen. / This article presents the use of a multi-body simulation program to develop a driving module for mobile robots. The aim in developing the module was to realize mobile robots with higher driving speeds than comparable systems with omnidirectional wheels. The use of simulation calculations was an elementary component of the overall development from the very first draft. As a result, findings from the simulations were repeatedly incorporated into further development. The multi-body systems (MBS) were set up in the simulation program alaska. At the beginning of the development process, the simulation models consisted of a few elements in order to analyze the basic movement behavior. Building on this, more complex simulation models were used, which are suitable for determining the influence of parameters on the movement behavior.

The goal of this work is to develop and demonstrate a comprehensive analysis of single and multi-body composite strip-beam systems using an asymptotically-correct geometrically nonlinear theory. The comprehensiveness refers to the two distinguishing features of this work, namely the unified framework for the analysis and the inclusion of the usually ignored cross-sectional nonlinearities in thin-beam and multi-beam analyses. The first part of this work stitches together an approach to analyse generally anisotropic composite beams. Based on geometrically exact nonlinear elasticity theory, the nonlinear 3-D beam problem splits into either a linear (conventionally considered) or nonlinear (considered in this work) 2-D analysis of the beam cross-section and a nonlinear 1-D analysis along the beam reference curve. The two sub-tasks of this work (viz. nonlinear analysis of the beam cross-section and nonlinear beam analysis) are accomplished on a single platform using an object-oriented framework. First, two established nonlinear cross-sectional analyses (numerical and analytical), both based on the Variational-Asymptotic Method (VAM), are invoked. The numerical analysis is capable of treating cross-sections of arbitrary geometry and material distributions and can capture certain nonlinear effects such as the trapeze effect. The closed-form analytical analysis is restricted to thin rectangular cross-sections for generally anisotropic composites but captures ALL cross-sectional nonlinearities, and not just the well-known Brazier and trapeze effects. Second, the well-established geometrically-exact nonlinear 1-D governing equations along the beam reference curve, after being generalized to utilize the expressions for nonlinear stiffness matrix, are solved using the mixed variational finite element method. Finally, local 3-D stress, strain and displacement fields for representative sections in the beam are recovered, based on the stress resultants from the 1-D global beam analysis. This part of the work is then validated by applying it to an initially twisted cantilevered laminated composite strip under axial force. The second part is concerned with the dynamic analysis of nonlinear multi-body systems involving elastic strip-like beams made of laminated, anisotropic composite materials using an object-oriented framework. In this work, unconditionally stable time-integration schemes presenting high-frequency numerical dissipation are used to solve the ensuing governing equations. The codes developed based on such time-integration schemes are first validated with the literature for two standard test cases: non-linear spring mass oscillator and pendulum. In order to apply the comprehensive analysis code thus developed to a multi-body system, the four-bar mechanism is chosen as an example. All component bars of the mechanism have thin rectangular cross-sections and are made of fiber reinforced laminates of various types of layups. They could, in general, be pre-twisted and/or possess initial curvature, either by design or by defect. They are linked to each other by means of revolute joints. Each component of the mechanism is modeled as a beam based on the first part of this work. Results from this analysis are compared with those available in the literature, both theoretical and experimental. The margins between the linear and non-linear results are evaluated specifically due to the cross-sectional nonlinearities and shown to vary with stacking sequences. This work thus demonstrates the importance of geometrically nonlinear cross-sectional analysis of certain composite beam-based four-bar mechanisms in predicting system dynamic characteristics. To enable graphical visualization, the behavior of the four-bar mechanism is also observed by using commercial software (I-DEAS + NASTRAN + ADAMS). Finally, the component-laminate load-carrying capacity is estimated using the Tsai-Wu-Hahn failure criterion for various layups and the same criterion is used to predict the first-ply-failure and the mechanism as a whole.