Traction and braking characteristics of tyres are of utmost importance for off road vehicle performance. In particular, complex soil behaviour and tyre deflections make the prediction of these characteristics very difficult. Numerous tyre models have been developed, usually addressing specific soil and tyre type. In order to improve current understanding and establish more general models, a set of tyre parameters needs to be defined and measured under controlled conditions. The paper describes such a facility, consisting of a special Soil Lane and a Single Wheel Tester, which in combination can provide exceptional data for understanding and ultimately improving off road tyres. The testing can be conducted on individual tyres, and a number of parameters (load, slip, traction/braking torque, speed etc.) can be varied in wide ranges under controlled conditions. Furthermore, the entire vehicles can be tested in the Soil Lane, and the Single Wheel Tester can be used in an open environment - in the field. Initial results confirm the exceptional help these facilities can offer in better understanding tyre characteristics and improving off road vehicle performance.
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