Application of a self-tuning fuzzy PI-PD controller in an active anti-roll bar system for a passenger car

A fuzzy proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller has not been widely investigated for active anti-roll bar (AARB) application due to its unspecific mathematical analysis and the derivative kick problem. This paper briefly explains how the derivative kick problem arises due to the nature of the PID controller as well as the conventional fuzzy PID controller in association with an AARB. There are two types of controllers proposed in this paper: self-tuning fuzzy proportional-integral-proportional-derivative (STF PI-PD) and PI-PD-type fuzzy controller. Literature reveals that the PI-PD configuration can avoid the derivative kick, unlike the standard PID configuration used in fuzzy PID controllers. STF PI-PD is a new controller proposed and presented in this paper, while the PI-PD-type fuzzy controller was developed by other researchers for robotics and automation applications. Some modifications were made on these controllers in order to make them work with an AARB system. The performances of these controllers were evaluated through a series of handling tests using a full car model simulated in MATLAB Simulink. The simulation results were compared with the performance of a passive anti-roll bar and the conventional fuzzy PID controller in order to show improvements and practicality of the proposed controllers. Roll angle signal was used as input for all the controllers. It is found that the STF PI-PD controller is able to suppress the derivative kick problem but could not reduce the roll motion as much as the conventional fuzzy PID would. However, the PI-PD-type fuzzy controller outperforms the rest by improving ride and handling of a simulated passenger car significantly.