Driga, Mircea D.2011-08-122017-05-112011-08-122017-05-112006-05http://hdl.handle.net/2152/13058textCommercial application linear motion magnetically levitated, maglev, bodies are inherently unstable owing to minimal large magnitude or prolonged oscillating disturbance natural damping. Induced vibrations into large inertial, magnetically levitated bodies experience resonance under certain operating conditions. Maglev vehicles typically incorporate a non-magnetic ancillary damping suspension system as compensation. Maglev designers desire an efficient, solely magnetic based damping system without auxiliary compensation for these large inertial vehicles, but no effective system has presented itself. This paper investigates the unstable nature of a maglev electrodynamic suspension, E.D.S., system. Electromagnetic solenoid coils operating in concert with an appropriate control law offer this solution. A hierarchy of controlled, electromagnetic damping suspension systems is theorized and analyzed and in one case designed, fabricated, and tested. These designs range from a single degree of freedom, D.O.F., maglev suspension to a dynamically coupled six D.O.F. maglev suspension. Solenoid coils form the electromagnetic damping prime mover hardware. Soft computing optimal nonlinear control forms the final electromagnetic damping control kernel for this proof of concept paper whereas soft computing adaptive nonlinear control forms the final electromagnetic damping control kernel for a proposed final system solution.electronicengCopyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.Magnetic suspensionMagnetic levitation vehicles--Design and constructionMagnetic levitation vehicles--TestingDamping (Mechanics)Solenoids--Design and constructionSolenoids--Testing