Simulating porpoising effect on quarter-car suspension model

At the start of the 2022 F1 season, the "porpoise effect” has undoubtedly been one of the main protagonists. This effect, which has been known since the 1970s and 1980s in cars with ground effect, is characterised by a chassis oscillation when the car travels at high speed. In this situation, the downforce generated by ground effect is so high that it sucks the bottom of the car to the ground. As it approaches the track, downforce increases, but it reaches a point where there is a sudden loss of downforce and the suspension springs push the chassis back up. Again, the floor generates a lot of downforce and the car is pushed down once more. This behaviour is repeated cyclically, producing an oscillation known as the “porpoise effect” (or simply “porpoising”).