Damping allocation and comfort-oriented suspension control for electrodynamic maglev systems

With the establishment of maglev technology in branches of the transport sector, further development has been motivated by the need to ensure competitiveness with other forms of travel. Factors such as infrastructure cost, maintenance, and passenger experience have become important to secure investment in new and existing projects. Regarding passenger comfort, studies have been made on the introduction of passive and active damping solutions in secondary suspensions of maglev vehicles, such that the capsule is isolated from vibrations induced by track irregularities. The present study demonstrates the possibility of modifying the relative damping with a dynamic testing stage mounted on a test bench of an electrodynamic levitation system. Moreover, skyhook damping is investigated regarding its effect on capsule acceleration. Maps for acceleration response considering a combination grid of skyhook damping and secondary suspension damping modification are computed to select a parameter set with improved passenger comfort characteristics. Stability is also investigated for the damping combination case, with a trade-off identified. Experimental results in time-domain are analysed and compared with model simulation data to validate the control schemes. Adequate conformity between experimental and numerical results is noted, and an improved comfort condition is demonstrated.