Approaches to improving the mobility of military tracked vehicles on soft terrain

摘要

This paper describes an investigation into the approaches to improving the mobility of military tracked vehicles, through examining the effects of major vehicle design features on mobility. The investigation was carried out using a simulation model known as NTVPM. The results show that the road wheel-suspension system configuration, initial track tension, and track width have significant effects on soft ground mobility, particularly on highly compressible terrain where track sinkage exceeds vehicle ground clearance. Based on the results of this investigation, a conceptual high-mobility military tracked vehicle for operation on soft terrain is presented.