Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle Tests

Road roughness exerts a direct influence on the vertical dynamic performance of vehicles, and the accurate characterization of road roughness is essential for optimizing vehicle suspension systems. This paper addresses two key challenges in roughness recognition: feature extraction and adaptive clas...

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Main Authors: Jie Xing, Zhun Cheng, Shuai Ye, Songwei Liu, Jiawei Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Machines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/5/391
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author Jie Xing
Zhun Cheng
Shuai Ye
Songwei Liu
Jiawei Lin
author_facet Jie Xing
Zhun Cheng
Shuai Ye
Songwei Liu
Jiawei Lin
author_sort Jie Xing
collection DOAJ
description Road roughness exerts a direct influence on the vertical dynamic performance of vehicles, and the accurate characterization of road roughness is essential for optimizing vehicle suspension systems. This paper addresses two key challenges in roughness recognition: feature extraction and adaptive classification under different speeds. In detail, based on simulation tests of the quarter-vehicle vertical vibration model and real-vehicle test, this paper reveals the strong correlation between the unsprung mass vertical vibration response of vehicles and road roughness. The feasibility of using unsprung mass vertical vibration response as a feature for recognizing and classifying road roughness is verified. And an adaptive road roughness classifier is proposed based on vehicle-speed-related features. Both simulation and real-vehicle results confirm that (i) the unsprung vertical vibration displacement is strongly correlated with road roughness (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.997); (ii) road roughness can be classified with high accuracy with the unsprung mass vertical vibration response taken as the only feature (simulation tests: 98.88% to 100%; real-vehicle tests: 100%); and (iii) the accuracy of the proposed speed-adaptive classifier is 20% more accurate than the conventional classifier that does not consider vehicle speed features. This research can provide accurate road excitation for the adaptive real-time control of semi-active or active vehicle suspensions.
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spelling doaj-art-47bf211e1a034530a2c79da5e768828b2025-08-20T01:56:28ZengMDPI AGMachines2075-17022025-05-0113539110.3390/machines13050391Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle TestsJie Xing0Zhun Cheng1Shuai Ye2Songwei Liu3Jiawei Lin4College of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCollege of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCollege of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaSchool of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UKCollege of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaRoad roughness exerts a direct influence on the vertical dynamic performance of vehicles, and the accurate characterization of road roughness is essential for optimizing vehicle suspension systems. This paper addresses two key challenges in roughness recognition: feature extraction and adaptive classification under different speeds. In detail, based on simulation tests of the quarter-vehicle vertical vibration model and real-vehicle test, this paper reveals the strong correlation between the unsprung mass vertical vibration response of vehicles and road roughness. The feasibility of using unsprung mass vertical vibration response as a feature for recognizing and classifying road roughness is verified. And an adaptive road roughness classifier is proposed based on vehicle-speed-related features. Both simulation and real-vehicle results confirm that (i) the unsprung vertical vibration displacement is strongly correlated with road roughness (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.997); (ii) road roughness can be classified with high accuracy with the unsprung mass vertical vibration response taken as the only feature (simulation tests: 98.88% to 100%; real-vehicle tests: 100%); and (iii) the accuracy of the proposed speed-adaptive classifier is 20% more accurate than the conventional classifier that does not consider vehicle speed features. This research can provide accurate road excitation for the adaptive real-time control of semi-active or active vehicle suspensions.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/5/391road roughnessfeature extractionvehicle speed adaptationroad roughness classifierreal-vehicle testssuspension optimization
spellingShingle Jie Xing
Zhun Cheng
Shuai Ye
Songwei Liu
Jiawei Lin
Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle Tests
Machines
road roughness
feature extraction
vehicle speed adaptation
road roughness classifier
real-vehicle tests
suspension optimization
title Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle Tests
title_full Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle Tests
title_fullStr Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle Tests
title_full_unstemmed Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle Tests
title_short Road Roughness Recognition: Feature Extraction and Speed-Adaptive Classification Based on Simulation and Real-Vehicle Tests
title_sort road roughness recognition feature extraction and speed adaptive classification based on simulation and real vehicle tests
topic road roughness
feature extraction
vehicle speed adaptation
road roughness classifier
real-vehicle tests
suspension optimization
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/5/391
work_keys_str_mv AT jiexing roadroughnessrecognitionfeatureextractionandspeedadaptiveclassificationbasedonsimulationandrealvehicletests
AT zhuncheng roadroughnessrecognitionfeatureextractionandspeedadaptiveclassificationbasedonsimulationandrealvehicletests
AT shuaiye roadroughnessrecognitionfeatureextractionandspeedadaptiveclassificationbasedonsimulationandrealvehicletests
AT songweiliu roadroughnessrecognitionfeatureextractionandspeedadaptiveclassificationbasedonsimulationandrealvehicletests
AT jiaweilin roadroughnessrecognitionfeatureextractionandspeedadaptiveclassificationbasedonsimulationandrealvehicletests