231 Sekulić D. et al. he Efect of Stifness and Damping of the Suspension System Elements on the Optimisation of the Vibrational Behaviour of a Bus THE EFFECT OF STIFFNESS AND DAMPING OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ELEMENTS ON THE OPTIMISATION OF THE VIBRATIONAL BEHAVIOUR OF A BUS Dragan Sekulić 1 , Vlastimir Dedović 2 1,2 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Transport and Traic Engineering, Vojvode Stepe 305, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Received 16 May 2011; accepted 1 September 2011 Abstract: he efects of spring stifness and shock absorber damping on the vertical acceleration of the driver’s body, suspension deformation and dynamic wheel load were investigated, with the purpose to deine recommendations for selecting oscillation parameters while designing the suspension system of a (intercity) bus. Oscillatory responses were analysed by means of a bus oscillatory model with linear characteristics and three degrees of freedom, with excitation by the Power Spectral Density (PSD) of the roughness of asphalt-concrete pavement in good condition. he analysis was conducted through a simulation, in frequency domain, using statistical dynamics equations. A programme created in the sotware pack MATLAB was used to analyse the transfer functions, spectral density and RMS of oscillatory parameters. he results of the analysis show that the parameters which ensured good oscillatory comfort of the driver were conlicting with the parameters which ensured the greatest stability of the bus and the corresponding wheel travel. In terms of the driver’s oscillatory comfort, the bus suspension system should have a spring of small stifness and a shock absorber with a low damping coeicient. In terms of active safety, it should have a spring of small stifness and a shock absorber with a high damping coeicient, while minimum wheel motion requests for springs of great stifness and shock absorbers with a high damping coeicient. Keywords: bus, oscillatory behaviour, spring, shock absorber, simulation. 1 Corresponding author: d.sekulic@sf.bg.ac.rs 1. Introduction The suspension system is one of the main vehicle systems, signiicant for the realisation of comfort, stability and safety parameters. he main purpose of this system is to increase the comfort of vehicle occupants (passengers and drivers), to maintain the contact between the tyre and the road surface and to eliminate (minimize) dynamic forces which act on the load bearing vehicle structure and road surface along which the vehicle is moving. Elastic and damping elements are built into the suspension system for the above- mentioned purposes can be successfully achieved. Pneumatic spring elements (also known as bellows or pneumatic balloons) are present as elastic elements in the suspension system of modern buses, while hydraulic shock absorbers are damping elements. Some of the main advantages of pneumatic system compared to other suspension systems (featuring elastic springs, combined UDC: 629.341.027.421