SIMIODE

In this modeling activity, students examine the spring-mass-dashpot that is part of a car suspension. We model a "quarter car'', meaning a single wheel, and compare effects of different masses, spring constants, damping coefficients, and the angle at which the assembly is installed. Students familiar with second order linear homogeneous ordinary differential equations can go straight to the modeling activity.  We provide a preliminary activity to learn or review the basics of this background, and we provide the answers for students to the optional background activity. 

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Therese Shelton; Brian Winkel (2020), "3-034-T-CarSuspensions," https://www.simiode.org/resources/7870.

  BibTex | EndNote

1. angle
2. automotive
3. car suspension
4. constant coefficient
5. damping
6. design
7. Develop model
8. directed
9. engineering
10. homogeneous
11. linear
12. Mathematica
13. ordinary differential equation
14. second order
15. spring constant
16. spring-mass-dashpot
17. static equilibrium
18. suspension tolerance