Washing machine appliance and methods of operation

A washing machine appliance comprising:

• an apron defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually orthogonal;
• a sub-washer unit positioned within the apron, the sub-washer unit comprising a wash basket defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing and being rotatable about an axis of rotation;
• a motor assembly operably coupled with the wash basket for rotating the wash basket;
• a suspension system comprising a plurality of dampers extending between the apron and the sub-washer unit for suspending the sub-washer unit within the apron;
• a measurement device mounted to the sub-washer unit at a first location;
• and
• a controller in operative communication with the motor assembly and the measurement device, the controller being configured for:
• initiating an operation of the washing machine appliance;
• monitoring a movement of the sub-washer unit at the first location using the measurement device, wherein the monitoring comprises calculating a displacement of the sub-washer unit proximate each of the plurality of dampers based on 1) the movement of the sub-washer unit at the first location, and 2) a relative location of each of the plurality of dampers to the first location;
• calculating an amount of energy dissipated in each of the plurality of dampers based on the displacement of the sub-washer unit;
• determining that the amount of energy dissipated in one of the plurality of the dampers has exceeded a predetermined energy threshold;
• and
• adjusting the operation of the washing machine appliance in response to determining that the amount of energy dissipated in one of the plurality of the dampers has exceeded the predetermined energy threshold.