Title: Modelling optimisation of vehicle velocity for wheeled construction vehicles traversing in off-road terrain

Authors: Franco Muleya; Sunday Nwaubani; David Reid

Addresses: Department of Construction Economics and Management, School of the Built Environment, The Copperbelt University, 4662 Jambo Drive, Riverside, Kitwe, 10101, Zambia ' School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa ' Faculty of Science and Technology, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, CM1 1SQ, UK

Abstract: This paper presents the results of an investigation into the effect of terrain conditions on vehicle velocity at each given vehicle speed selection in wet clay and sand terrain beds. Wheeled vehicles face mobility challenges when traversing in deformable terrain resulting in reduced velocity. This experimental modelling-based investigation was carried out using a modified and instrumented wheeled mobility scooter named MOBILITY SF-3713. This vehicle was run on non-deformable pavement in order to obtain reference results. It was then run on wet sand and clay terrain test beds under controlled laboratory conditions. Results from this experiment indicated that terrain type, applied load and tyre inflation pressure all have significant effects on velocity, influenced by tyre rutting in deformable terrain. The results suggest that reliable prediction of this relationship can assist earth moving and deformable haulage road engineers in making economic operational decisions that affect the velocity of wheeled plant.

Keywords: wheel-soil interaction; velocity; terrain rutting; natural terrain; traction; off-road terrain.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVP.2018.095297

International Journal of Vehicle Performance, 2018 Vol.4 No.3, pp.305 - 322

Received: 08 Oct 2016
Accepted: 14 Dec 2016
Published online: 03 Oct 2018 *

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