Simulated steerability of a segmented rubber tracked vehicle during turning on sepang peat terrain in Malaysia

摘要

A simulation study on the steerability of a segmented rubber tracked vehicle on low-bearing-capacity peat terrain is performed by considering the position of the vehicle's turning pole. A set of mathematical equations in the analytical model is used to predict all the important operating parameters of the vehicle during turning to establish the vehicle's steerability. Seven road wheels are used on each side of the track in order to avoid the track deflection between two consecutive road wheels. A road wheel diameter of 0.22 m and road wheel spacing of 0.225 m are employed to keep the track on the terrain as a rigid footing. The simulation of vehicle steerability in this study is focused on considering the vehicle's speed of 10 km/h. The turning pole coincides with the same level of the amount of eccentricity of nominal ground pressure and the resultant turning moment resistance. Comparison between the torque of the sprockets and vehicle turning moment resistance define the vehicle stability during turning. The ground contact pressure of this vehicle is considered a prime factor for the steerability of the vehicle based on the Sepang peat terrain bearing capacity of 17 kN/m~2. The mean incremental value of vehicle nominal ground pressure over the ground contact pressure is 14.61% for the outside track and 6.67% for the inner track. The peat terrain surface mat thickness over vehicle sinkage is 10.5% for the outer track and 22.5% for the inner track. The torque of the outer track sprocket over the turning moment resistance of the vehicle is 11.5%. The lateral resistance over centrifugal force is 7.4%. These allow the 19.62 kN vehicle, including a payload of 7.85 kN, to maintain a steady-state turn on peat terrain at a speed of 10 km/h with a turning radius in the range of 3.5 to 4 m.