Dynamic Analysis and Traversability Prediction of Tracked Vehicles on Soft Terrain

Unmanned ground vehicles are widely used in industries where repetitive tasks or high risk missions are required. Such vehicles usually operate on soft deformable terrains and still require human supervision due to the complexity of the interaction between the vehicle and the terrain. The dynamic models currently used in predicting track forces on such terrains are empirical and out dated. This paper critically investigates the dynamics involved in a steady-state skid-steering manoeuvre of tracked vehicles and presents a novel technique for predicting track forces on soft terrains. The simulation results are in good agreement with previous field measurements. The results show that the coefficient of lateral resistance varies not only with turning radius but also with vehicle velocity, an aspect that has not been taken into consideration in previous models. Finally, a traversability criterion is presented.