In this article, a novel bi-directional shear mode magneto-rheological elastomer–based vibration isolator has been designed, fabricated, and characterized to improve the dynamic response and identification of this class of “intellectual” mechanical devices. A heuristic embodiment has been realized in order to design such an isolator wherein both the vertical and horizontal directions can be operated only in the shear mode not only individually but also simultaneously. Two fixtures have been designed for performing the characterization of the magneto-mechanical behavior of the proposed magneto-rheological elastomer isolator in the vertical and horizontal shear modes under wide ranges of strain amplitude (4%–32%), excitation frequency (1–8 Hz), and magnetic flux density (0–220 mT). Experimental results revealed maximum relative magneto-rheological effects of 35% and 27 % in the vertical and horizontal shear modes, respectively. Furthermore, basic mathematical models of single-degree-of-freedom systems, employing the magneto-rheological elastomer–based isolator in the vertical and horizontal shear modes, have been established. The proposed magneto-rheological elastomer isolator in the vertical mode exhibited natural frequency shift of 6.1% by a small increment in the magnetic flux density which approves the potential of the proposed bi-directional shear mode magneto-rheological elastomer–based vibration isolator for vibration control applications, such as seat suspension systems.

Magnetorheological (MR) dampers with bypass arrangements and combined annular-radial fluid flow channels have shown superior performance compared to conventional MR dampers with single annular/radial fluid flow gaps. Achieving a higher controllable dynamic force range with low off-state but high on-state damping force is yet a significant challenge for developing MR dampers for high payload ground vehicle suspensions. This paper presents the conceptual design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of a mid-sized large-capacity MR damper equipped with a compact annular-radial MR fluid bypass valve. Extensive experimental tests were conducted to investigate the dynamic characteristics of the proposed MR damper considering wide ranges of excitation frequency, loading amplitude, and electrical current. The equivalent viscous damping and the dynamic range were calculated as functions of loading conditions considered. The proposed damper initially realized the maximum dynamic range and damping force of 2.3 and 5.54 kN, respectively. With MR valve design modifications, the maximum dynamic range and damping force were substantially increased, reaching 5.06 and 6.61 kN, respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed MR damper was subsequently identified by comparing its dynamic range with other conventional MR dampers in previous studies. The results confirmed the superior performance of the proposed MR damper and its potential application for highly adaptive suspension systems for off-road wheeled and tracked vehicles.

Magnetorheological (MR) fluid dampers (MRFDs) with variable stiffness and variable damping capability (VSVD-MRFDs) have demonstrated excellent vibration mitigation performance. However, there are limited studies on the development of bypass VSVD-MRFDs which offer both higher dynamic range and output force, apart from simple maintenance and straightforward assembly. In this study, a novel large-capacity VSVD-MRFD with an annular-radial bypass MR valve, as opposed to the typical practice of implementing the valve within the traveling piston in the hydraulic cylinder of the MRFD, is proposed. The main contribution of the present work includes: (a) providing the conceptional design and experimental dynamic characterization of the proposed VSVD-MRFD; (b) investigating the feasibility of the proposed damper for realizing the VSVD characteristics under wide ranges of loading conditions. A test rig was, thus, designed to perform experimental characterization of the proposed VSVD-MRFD under wide ranges of mechanical loading and magnetic field conditions. A qualitative analysis including force-displacement, and force-velocity characteristics, together with a quantitative analysis including dynamic range, equivalent viscous and stiffness coefficients, were conducted as a function of loading frequency, displacement amplitude, and applied current. Results showed a maximum dynamic range and maximum output force of 4.5 and 7.8 kN, respectively. Also, the maximum relative increase in the equivalent viscous and stiffness coefficients were obtained, respectively, as 425% and 488%, when the applied current is increased from zero to 2 A. The results confirm the potential of the proposed VSVD-MRFD for applications in off-road suspension systems. The externally designed bypass MR valve permits a straightforward design modification for realizing wide scalability of damping force in different applications (e.g., off-road vehicle suspension systems).

This paper presents an optimal design of a large-capacity Magnetorheological (MR) damper suitable for off-road vehicle applications. The damper includes an MR fluid bypass valve with both annular and radial gaps to generate a large damping force and dynamic range. An analytical model of the proposed damper is formulated based on the Bingham plastic model of MR fluids. To establish a relationship between the applied current and magnetic flux density in the MR fluid active regions, an analytical magnetic circuit is formulated and further compared with a magnetic finite element model. The MR valve geometrical parameters are subsequently optimized to maximize the damper dynamic range under specific volume and magnetic field constraints. The optimized MR valve can theoretically generate off-state and on-state damping forces of 1.1 and 7.41 kN, respectively at 12.5 mm/s damper piston velocity. The proposed damper has been also designed to allow a large piston stroke of 180 mm. The proof-of-concept of the optimally designed MR damper was subsequently fabricated and experimentally characterized to investigate its performance and validate the models. The results show that the proposed MR damper is able to provide large damping forces with a high dynamic range under different excitation conditions.