Stochastic Road Inputs and Vehicle Response

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Abstract
During the 1950's increasing awareness of the available theory of stochastic processes, together with the wider availability of digital computers, brought to automobile engineers a new and powerful technique for treating the response of vehicles to the irregular undulations of roads. But while a road profile may reasonably be regarded as a realisation of a stochastic process, the theory of stochastic processes brings practical advantages only where the processes concerned satisfy certain stringent criteria The paper explains the basis of the standard spectral techniques which are available for the description and analysis of stochastic processes, and emphasises the restrictions implied by their acceptance. Progress towards the present state of the art is indicated by reference to work published over the last 25 years; this work has established that a stationary gaussian stochastic process does provide a satisfactory basic model for a road surface, and it has now reached a state of considerable sophistication. The development of experimental simulation techniques, based on multivariate stochastic process theory, is described and the relationship of such tests to response analysis is explained. There is some discussion of the probable directions of future progress The presentation is based primarily on the automobile response problem, but many of the techniques described are applicable also to other forms of vehicle.