Comfort Level Refinement of Military Tracked Vehicle Crew through Optimal Control Study

  • N. V. Ramamurthy DRDO-Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Chennai - 600 054
  • B. K. Vinayagam Department of Mechatronics, SRM University, Kattankulathur - 603 203
  • J. Roopchand DRDO-Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Chennai - 600 054
Keywords: Vibration responses, Vehicle-occupant system, Seat suspension system, Simulink model, Digital state space controller

Abstract

Military tracked vehicle and crew are modelled together in this paper as integrated man-machine lumped parameter model, by integrating the simplified 5 degrees of freedom (DoF) tracked vehicle model, including seat and 4 DoF human bio-dynamic model, thus resulting in a 9 DoF simplified vehicle-occupant model. Then the natural frequency of major mass segment namely the chassis mass is obtained through simulation study, for a known road input. The value obtained is compared with that of an earlier research work, for validation of said man-machine model. Then focusing our study locally at crew seat location, parameters of crew seat suspension for ride comfort are optimised using the optimal digital state space controller designed for this purpose by implementing it in a 2 DoF occupant - seat suspension model and its Simulink model constructed. Simulation results illustrate the attainment of the goal by meeting the controller design requirements.

Author Biographies

N. V. Ramamurthy, DRDO-Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Chennai - 600 054
Mr N.V. Ramamurthy obtained his BE (Mech. Engg.) from College of Engg., Guindy, Chennai, India and MTech (Appl. Mech.) from IITM., Chennai, India and pursuing his PhD in Mech. Engg. at SRM Univ., Kattankulathur. Currently he is working as Tech. Officer ‘C’ at CVRDE, DRDO, Avadi, India. His current research interests include : Vehicular vibration and ergonomics.
B. K. Vinayagam, Department of Mechatronics, SRM University, Kattankulathur - 603 203
Dr B.K. Vinayagam received his MSc (Engineering) and PhD in Flexible Manufacturing System. Currently he is working as Professor in the Department of Mechatronics Engg. at SRM Univ., Kattankulathur, India. His current research interests include : Robotics and vehicular vibrations.
J. Roopchand, DRDO-Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Chennai - 600 054
Dr J. Roopchand, received his BE (Mechanical Engineering) from College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai, India, and MTech (Machine Design) from IITM, Chennai, India and his PhD in Mechanical Engg. from Anna Univ., Chennai, India. Currently he is working as Addl. Director at DRDO-CVRDE, India. His current research interests include Vehicular vibration and Terra mechanics.
Published
2018-04-16
How to Cite
Ramamurthy, N., Vinayagam, B., & Roopchand, J. (2018). Comfort Level Refinement of Military Tracked Vehicle Crew through Optimal Control Study. Defence Science Journal, 68(3), 265-272. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.68.12002
Section
Combat Engineering