Suspension simulation guide

This is general suspension simulation guide. The force of springs is F_s=-kx. The force of dampers is Fd=-cv. We will be using dot notion to represent derivatives. For example, if x denotes position of a object, ẋ (x-dot) is the velocity of the object, and ẍ (x-double-dot) is the acceleration of the object.

Quarter Car

The simplest form to explain the physics of suspension simulation is the quarter car. A quarter car model contains the sprung mass (chassis), coilover spring, the damper (dashpot), unsprung mass, and the tire spring. The tire spring exist because... the tire is a spring and has a stiffness. The sprung mass is supported by the coilover spring and the damper which are connected to the unsprung mass. The unsprung mass is supported by the tire spring.