Terramechanics Modeling of Mars Surface Exploration Rovers for Simulation and Parameter Estimation

Iagnemma, Karl; Senatore, Carmine; Trease, Brian P.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bennett, K.; Shaw, A.; Zhou, Feng; Dyke, Lauren Van; Lindemann, R.

doi:10.1115/detc2011-48770

Cited by 27 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Two possible reasons for this may be that the simplified theoretical assumptions of wheel-soil interactions for classical terramechanics models begin to break down at high slip, or the soil properties at high slip are not well represented by traditional bevameter measurements. Details of the terramechanics models used to develop ARTEMIS are described in Zhou et al (2014) and Iagnemma et al (2011).…”

Section: Classical Terramechanics Modeling Of Vehicle Mobility and Itmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discrete element method simulations of Mars Exploration Rover wheel performance

Johnson

Kulchitsky

Duvoy

et al. 2015

Journal of Terramechanics

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Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs) experienced mobility problems during traverses. Three-dimensional discrete element method (DEM) simulations of MER wheel mobility tests for wheel slips of i = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, and 0.99 were done to examine high wheel slip mobility to improve the ARTEMIS MER traverse planning tool. Simulations of wheel drawbar pull and sinkage MIT data for i 6 0.5 were used to determine DEM particle packing density (0.62) and contact friction (0.8) to represent the simulant used in mobility tests. The DEM simulations are in good agreement with MIT data for i = 0.5 and 0.7, with reasonable but less agreement at lower wheel slip. Three mobility stages include low slip (i < 0.3) controlled by soil strength, intermediate slip (i $ 0.3-0.6) controlled by residual soil strength, and high slip (i > 0.6) controlled by residual soil strength and wheel sinkage depth. Equilibrium sinkage occurred for i < 0.9, but continuously increased for i = 0.99. Improved DEM simulation accuracy of low-slip mobility can be achieved using polyhedral particles, rather than tri-sphere particles, to represent soil. The DEM simulations of MER wheel mobility can improve ARTEMIS accuracy.

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Section: Classical Terramechanics Modeling Of Vehicle Mobility and Itmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discrete element method simulations of Mars Exploration Rover wheel performance

Johnson

Kulchitsky

Duvoy

et al. 2015

Journal of Terramechanics

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“…These data are still in use by those commanding the Opportunity rover to predict the vehicle performance and to plan the safest and most efficient routes possible. This vehicle slip testing is also complementary to the computer modeling of traverse routes for predicted performance (Iagnemma et al., ; Trease et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traverse Performance Characterization for the Mars Science Laboratory Rover

Heverly

Matthews

Lin

et al. 2013

Journal of Field Robotics

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It is anticipated that the Mars Science Laboratory rover, named Curiosity, will traverse 10-20 km on the surface of Mars during its primary mission. In preparation for this traverse, Earth-based tests were performed using Mars weight vehicles. These vehicles were driven over Mars analog bedrock, cohesive soil, and cohesionless sand at various slopes. Vehicle slip was characterized on each of these terrains versus slope for direct upslope driving. Results show that slopes up to 22 degrees are traversable on smooth bedrock and that slopes up to 28 degrees are traversable on some cohesive soils. In cohesionless sand, results show a sharp transition between moderate slip on 10 degree slopes and vehicle embedding at 17 degrees. For cohesionless sand, data are also presented showing the relationship between vehicle slip and wheel sinkage. Side by side testing of the Mars Exploration Rover test vehicle and the Mars Science Laboratory test vehicle show how increased wheel diameter leads to better slope climbing ability in sand for vehicles with nearly identical ground pressure. Lastly, preliminary data from Curiosity's initial driving on Mars are presented and compared to the Earth-based testing, showing good agreement for the driving done during the first 250 Martian days. C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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“…This mobility prediction and evaluation technique would be also valuable for the mobility system design [79] in addition to an actual rover operation to determine rover maneuvering. Some recent works have reported dynamic simulation tools combined with the terramechanics wheel model (e.g., NASA Mars rovers [52,80] and ExoMars [53,55].…”

Section: Wheel-terrain Interaction Mechanicsmentioning

confidence: 99%