Evaluation of Ground Pressure, Bearing Capacity, and Sinkage in Rigid-Flexible Tracked Vehicles on Characterized Terrain

Abstract

Tracked vehicles play a significant role in engineering. Supportive trafficability is the salvation of any tracked vehicle. Terrain characteristics have a substantial impact on tracked vehicle mobility. We consider a tracked vehicle traversing known terrain in this paper. Vehicle-terrain interaction covers track-soil friction, soil compaction, traction, bearing capacity, and sinkage resistance. Identifying the soil parameters upon which a tracked vehicle moves will likely lead to more accurate traversability predictions, better traction control, and more accurate trajectory tracking. Conventional terramechanical models cannot adequately describe the connection between tracks and soil. Obtaining real-time measurements of the ground pressure of the soil as the unmanned tracked vehicle moves in the soil bin of dimensions 610 cm long, 245 cm wide, and 180 cm deep is challenging. The utilization of real-time data enables monitoring dynamic variations in ground pressure exerted by the operational components within a soil bin. A ground pressure monitoring device suitable for wet and dry soil was designed to reduce the accumulation of choked damp soil, clay, or mud in the sensor, sensor bracket, track, and other equipment. The device uses a pressure sensor, a data logger, and wireless measurement technology. It can simultaneously measure up to 8 pressure sensors and transmit measurement data remotely to a computer. This reduces the labor intensity of measuring personnel in muddy soil. Data analysis showed that the crewless tracked vehicle’s ground pressure and forward resistance increased with forward speed and vertical load. A law was also discovered explaining how ground pressure (sinkage) spreads between the trackpad and the soil. A general technique is presented in this paper that can be applied to any tracked vehicle. The conclusions show that the ground pressure measurement system works steadily in different humidity scenarios. In addition, the data that has been gathered can be transmitted to a computer using wireless communication methods.