Wheel Dynamic Load Estimation Method Based on Gas Pressure of Hydro-pneumatic Suspension

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new low-cost method for estimating wheel dynamic load using only a single gas pressure sensor in hydro-pneumatic suspensions, reducing hardware complexity and improving measurement accuracy.

Contribution

It develops a nonlinear coupled model and iterative algorithm for load estimation that eliminates the need for traditional tire models and multiple sensors.

Findings

Experimental validation shows good agreement with measured data.

Co-simulation confirms the method's accuracy in damping force estimation.

The approach reduces hardware requirements and measurement errors.

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel method to estimate the wheel dynamic load based on the gas pressure of a hydro-pneumatic suspension. A nonlinear coupled model between suspension chamber pressure and tire-ground contact force is developed, integrating suspension dynamics with its nonlinear stiffness characteristics. An iterative algorithm is developed to estimate wheel dynamic load using data from only one single pressure sensor, thereby eliminating the reliance on traditional tire models and complex multi-sensor fusion frameworks. This method effectively reduces hardware redundancy and minimizes the propagation of measurement errors. The proposed model is experimentally validated on a dedicated suspension test bench, demonstrating satisfactory agreement between the measured and estimated data. Additionally, co-simulation with TruckSim verifies the accuracy of both the calculated damping force and wheel dynamic load, demonstrating the effectiveness of the model on characterizing the mechanical behavior of the hydro-pneumatic suspension system. The proposed method provides a practical, low-cost, and efficient solution with minimal hardware dependencies.