APPLICATION OF GENETIC ALGORITHMS TO THE DESIGN OPTIMIZATION OF AN ACTIVE VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM

The use of numerical optimization methods to partially automate the de sign process is demonstrated. Genetic algorithm (GA) optimization, a g lobal search technique, is used to determine both the active control a nd passive mechanical parameters of a vehicle suspension system. The o bjective is to minimize the extreme acceleration of the passenger's se at, subject to constraints representing the required road-holding abil ity and suspension working space. GA optimization is also used for pas sive suspension design to compare results from the literature based on a local optimization search technique: a gradient projection method. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.