Aufhängungsantwort

Aufhängungsantwort is a term used in German-language engineering literature to describe the dynamic response of a suspension system to external excitation. It encompasses how a suspension absorbs, transmits, and dissipates forces from the environment, such as road disturbances, load changes, or actuation, and how these inputs are translated into displacements, forces, and motions of the sprung and unsprung masses.

Etymology and scope: The word combines Aufhängung (suspension) and Antwort (response). The concept is applied across fields where mechanical suspensions play a role, including vehicle dynamics, architectural dampers, and robotics. In each domain, the focus is on how the suspension behaves over time and across frequencies when subjected to inputs.

Mathematical description: A common modeling approach treats a suspension as a mass–spring–damper system. For a single-degree-of-freedom model, the equation of motion is m x'' + c x' + k x = F_ext(t), where m is the mass, c the damping coefficient, k the stiffness, x the relative displacement, and F_ext(t) the external force. The natural frequency ω_n = sqrt(k/m) and the damping ratio ζ = c/(2 sqrt(k m)) determine the system’s response characteristics, such as overshoot, settling time, and resonance. The frequency-domain transfer function G(s) = X(s)/F_ext(s) or G(s) = X(s)/U(s) (for an input U) describes how different frequencies are attenuated or amplified.

Analysis and application: The Aufhängungsantwort is studied through time-domain (step, impulse) and frequency-domain (Bode plots) analyses, simulations, and road or test-bench measurements. Its optimization aims to balance ride comfort, handling, and stability by adjusting mass distribution, spring rates, and damping. In practice, the term appears in vehicle dynamics, structural dampers, and robotics when characterizing how suspensions respond to dynamic loads.