Title: Snowmobile model for ride dynamic analysis

Authors: Paul-Andre Hebert; Subhash Rakheja; Marc J. Richard

Addresses: Founder and CEO, Toniqc Light Personal Vehicles, 2897 rue de l'Anse, Quebec, Qc, G1W 2G7, Canada ' Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, CONCAVE Research Center, Concordia University, 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West, EV4.139, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laval University, Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot, local 1504, 1065 avenue de la médecine, Quebec (Qc) G1V 0A6, Canada

Abstract: Snowmobiling involves exposure to high magnitude vibrations. Ride comfort thus forms a major design requirement, currently met through iterative prototyping and field-testing. This study thus aims at developing a snowmobile ride model. The nine degrees-of-freedom ADAMS model includes sub-models for: detailed suspension, track, trail profile, deformable ground, quasi-steady traction, and simplified rider and seat. Four trail roughnesses were characterised through Power Spectral Density. Field tests provided vehicle response. Simulations' agreement ranged from poor to good. A parametric analysis pointed to ride comfort improvements reaching 58%, based on the rms vertical acceleration at the seat.

Keywords: snowmobiles; snowmobile models; ride dynamics; ride analysis; ground profiles; trail profiles; terrain roughness; track modelling; traction modelling; snowmobile suspension; off-road vehicles; snowmobile simulation; vehicle vibration; ride comfort; deformable surfaces; power spectral density.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2014.058480

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2014 Vol.64 No.2/3/4, pp.325 - 346

Received: 30 Mar 2011
Accepted: 09 Sep 2011
Published online: 30 Oct 2014 *

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