Off-Road Dynamics Research at Cranfield University at Silsoe

摘要

This paper describes the laboratory and equipment designed and developed by the staff of Cranfield University at Silsoe to provide a centre to undertake research into the terramechanics of off road vehicles and single tyres and tracks; and the soil-machine dynamics of tillage and earthmoving equipment for civil and defence purposes. The laboratory comprises of a 45 m long, 5 m wide soil lane that has the facility to control soil moisture and water table levels together with single wheel test apparatus for both dynamic and quasi-static tyre performance studies, a "smart" winch to provide a dynamically controlled pull for "slip-pull" performance studies of whole vehicles, a tyre and track test device for compaction studies and a whole vehicle articulation rig. The facility has been designed to meet the needs of a range of applications including agriculture, automotive, construction, military, motor sport and telecommunications for the provision of previously unavailable tire, vehicle and machine performance data.