Non-fragile robust output feedback control of uncertain active suspension systems with stochastic network-induced delay

Abstract The vehicle active suspension has attracted considerable attention owing to its great contributions to the vertical dynamics of vehicle. This paper investigates the robust non-fragile H ∞ output feedback control problem of the uncertain vehicle active suspension with stochastic network-induced delay. Firstly, taking the variation of sprung and unsprung masses into consideration, an interval type-2 (IT-2) Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy model is introduced to describe the nonlinear characteristics of active suspension systems (ASSs). Secondly, to ensure that the control strategy is practicable when some states are unmeasured, a novel output feedback method is proposed by employing a variable substitution approach. Meanwhile, in order to approximate the real physical conditions of the control system, the gain perturbations are taken into account. Thirdly, with regard to the complexity of signal transmission delay in network control process, a more generalized lumped delay form is employed to represent the network-induced delay. Moreover, to describe the stochasticity of lumped delay, a Markovian process is introduced. Finally, both numerical simulations and experimental tests are carried out to examine the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed controller.