Skyhook Controller Design for the Lateral and Vertical Suspension of a Railway Trailer

This paper proposes semi-active control strategies aimed at improving the ride quality of a railway trailer by addressing both lateral and vertical motion. The chosen methodology involves the utilization of the combined sky-hook control method, with the assessment of ride quality conducted through numerical simulations on the Konya-Polath high-speed mainline in Turkey. The performance evaluation of the railway trailer encompasses two configurations: One with a passive suspension system and the other with a semi-active suspension system. The numerical simulations demonstrate that the in-corporation of combined lateral and vertical control allows the vehicle to attain a speed of 180 km/h while maintaining the same or even superior levels of ride quality compared to the passive configuration. The simulation results further indicate that the implementation of the semi-active control strategy eliminates the necessity for additional mechanical power to operate the active suspension.