Advanced Mobility in Difficult Terrain, the Bekker-Reece-Radforth Award 2002

摘要

The development and success of the Swedish Combat Vehicle CV90 has demonstrated the abilities of the author in the field of terramechanics related to tracked military vehicles. The honour of the Bekker-Reece-Radforth Award 2002 has been granted in recognition of these achievements made during the author’s employment at H?gglunds Vehicle AB since 1975. H?gglunds Vehicle AB has been a producer of military vehicles since the late 1950’s, although the first years concentrated on production only. From the early 1960’s H?gglunds developed a number of its own tracked vehicles, all of which were influenced by the mobility demands dictated by their intended use in severe terrain conditions such as those found in Northern Scandinavia. This paper presents a brief history of the advancement of tracked vehicle technology at H?gglunds Vehicle AB. The concepts discussed include: ground pressure, the number of roadwheels, articulated steering, track tension, track attack angle, sinkage, belly effects and the use of terramechanic simulation. The success of the CV90 demonstrates that the combination of practical experience, terrain knowledge and terramechanic simulations can effect substantial improvements in vehicle mobility. Evaluation of the CV90 versus other modern combat vehicles of the same class, has shown that the CV90 possesses considerably higher mobility and speed under severe terrain conditions. These two attributes provide CV90 with the ability to access terrain which similar vehicles can not, thus giving the military user greater mobility options.