Performance Analysis and Energy Consumption of Semi-Active and Active Suspension Systems

VATANDAŞ B. B., SANCAK C., ŞAHİN Z.

JOURNAL OF VIBRATION ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGIES, cilt.14, sa.8, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

Özet

Purpose This study presents a parametric investigation of the effects of suspension stiffness coefficient, vehicle velocity, and sprung mass on the vibration damping performance and energy consumption of semi-active and active suspension systems under three different road profiles.Methods Both suspension systems are modelled within a quarter-car framework and controlled via PID-based strategies. Initially, the vibration damping performance of semi-active and active suspension systems is evaluated for nominal conditions under three different road profiles, and the results are compared with those of a passive suspension. Subsequently, a parametric analysis involving 343 combinations is conducted to systematically examine the performance and energy consumption of both suspension systems.Results The parametric analysis indicates that increasing suspension stiffness reduces vibration-damping performance and increases energy consumption in both controlled suspension systems. Vehicle speed also affects vibration attenuation and energy consumption, though its influence is weaker than that of stiffness and becomes non-uniform under random road excitation. The effect of sprung mass, meanwhile, depends on the road excitation characteristics. Overall, the results provide a systematic energy-performance perspective for evaluating and tuning active and semi-active suspension systems. For the active suspension, increasing the passive damping coefficient improves vibration-damping performance under road profiles, while its effect on energy consumption generally depends on the road profile.Conclusion The semi-active suspension provides a more favorable compromise between sprung-mass vibration attenuation and electrical energy demand, particularly under repetitive and random road excitations. The active suspension offers bidirectional direct-force actuation and more confined wheel and suspension-deflection responses, but at a substantially higher energetic cost.