Honors College Theses

Publication Date

4-4-2024

Major

Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Aniruddha Mitra

Abstract

The shock absorber is an integral part of a vehicle suspension system and has a strong influence on its performance, especially in the case of motorsports. It is important to study the force versus velocity relationship, commonly known as the characteristic curve of the shock absorber both during compression and rebound. Vendor-supplied characteristics often reflect the behavior of the shock absorber in a particular setting. However, during the installation, the settings inside the shock absorber are adjusted to increase the human comfort level and performance of the vehicle. This may change the characteristic curve of the shock. The available data and direct comparison of different tune-up settings are limited. In an ideal model, the force is directly proportional to the velocity. However, in literature, except for the steep linearity at the relatively small section closer to the origin, the characteristic curve is often found to follow a regression model with an offset in the form of F= a + bvc, where F is the force generated at the shock and v, the velocity, a, b, c are the regression parameters. In the current research, three Fox Float 3 are tested at their factory conditions to assess the relationships between the force and the velocity. Also, several shock position settings inside two of those shocks are tested to develop a mathematical model. A predominant linear trend has been observed for all the cases. Future work will involve tracking these parameters throughout their operational life cycle.

Thesis Summary

Fox float 3 shock absorbers damping curve are explored to gain insight to their tunability. Once understood, a mathematical model is produced to expediate shock damp tuning for all settings to gain human comfort level, performance, and durability.

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