Title: Prediction of vehicle mobility on large-scale soft-soil terrain maps using physics-based simulation

Authors: Tamer M. Wasfy; Paramsothy Jayakumar; Dave Mechergui; Srinivas Sanikommu

Addresses: Advanced Science and Automation Corp., 9714 Oakhaven Ct., Indianapolis, IN 46256, USA ' U.S. Army RDECOM TARDEC, 6501 E. 11 Mile Road, MS 157, Warren, MI 48397-5000, USA ' U.S. Army RDECOM TARDEC, 6501 E. 11 Mile Road, MS 157, Warren, MI 48397-5000, USA ' U.S. Army RDECOM TARDEC, 6501 E. 11 Mile Road, MS 157, Warren, MI 48397-5000, USA

Abstract: A high-fidelity physics-based approach for predicting vehicle mobility over large soft-soil terrain maps is presented. The approach is based on an HPC design-of-experiments (DOE) procedure, and the integration of multibody dynamics for modelling the vehicle and the discrete element method (DEM) for modelling the soil into one solver. A general cohesive soil DEM material model is used which includes the effects of cohesion, elasticity, plasticity/compressibility, damping, friction, and viscosity. To manage problem size, a novel moving soil patch technique is developed in which DEM particles which are behind the vehicle are continuously eliminated and then reemitted in front of the vehicle, levelled and compacted. The DEM inter-particle cohesion and friction are calibrated to the cone index using a simulation of a cone penetrometer. The DOE approach is demonstrated by predicting the speed-made-good distribution on 22 × 22 km terrain map for a 4 × 4 military vehicle. Two terrain parameters are considered in the DOE: terrain positive slope and soil strength.

Keywords: off-road vehicle mobility; vehicle dynamics; multibody dynamics; DEM; discrete element method; terramechanics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVP.2018.095753

International Journal of Vehicle Performance, 2018 Vol.4 No.4, pp.347 - 381

Received: 02 Nov 2016
Accepted: 04 Nov 2016

Published online: 22 Oct 2018 *

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