This paper describes a computer model to determine speed and acceleration of wheeled off-road vehicles. The model was presented for the first time at the 10th International ISTVS Conference in Kobe, Japan. Further details about the mathematical methods and the results thereof are here described. The basis of the model, is a generalized 4-axle vehicle, with a manually shifted gearbox or an automatic transmission, with distributor-gears, and final drive reductions. All the other kinds of off-road vehicle systems, can be derived from this basic type of vehicle. The computer model, is based upon the internal and external equations of motion and the interaction between the wheels and the ground surface. For the determination of acceleration in off-road situations, the vehicle mass and the masses of the rotary parts are reduced to one rotary mass between clutch and gearbox. The possible applications of the model are summarized and the practical tests, carried out with the Mercedes Puch G cross-country vehicle, are presented in this paper. As the results show, the model produces a good correlation between predicted and measured values.
展开▼
