Research On Tracked Robot Traction Performance Based On Terramechanics

Mobile robots have found an increasingly wide utilization in recent years, thismake a higher request for robots’ adaptive capacity to unknown environment. Theuncertainty and complexity of environment require mobile robot better trafficability todifferent running terrain surfaces. In order to make research on the robots’ trafficabilityto different surfaces, enhance the adaptive capacity to different terrains, provide thetechnical support for automatic unmanned operation, this article will make research onthe tracked robot traction performance on different terrain surfaces in both theoreticaland experimental ways.Firstly, make analysis on terrain feature and select the experimental terrain type,combined with the practical situation, based on the terrain classification criteria.Makeresearch on the bearing property and shear property of different types of terrain,especially how the bearing property parameters and shear property parameters influencethe soil stress. Analyze the normal stress and shearing stress relationship based on soilparameters. These researches will provide the theory basis for the tracked robot tractionperformance model.Make research on the track-terrain interaction mechanism based on terramechanics.Build the traction model of the track-soil interaction that center on the traction-sliprelation. Model the traction performance related to the interaction effect between robottrack and different types of terrain (sand, clay and snow). Make research on the soilsinking, normal stress and shearing stress along the track-soil interaction interface.Build the track grouser effect to traction performance model based oncompression-sliding theory. Combine the two models according to the track grouseraction zone. Analyze the effect of different types of terrain, track grouser shapeparameters and vertical loads to the drawbar pull according to the combined model.Make simulation examples of the model in MATLAB. Model the traction performancemodel in the obstacle-surmounting process combined with the robot’s swing arms.Analyze the critical condition of relative sliding between track and obstacle and theselection of joint angle.Set up the platform of traction performance under the interaction between trackedrobot and different types of terrain; achieve information collection that related to thetraction performance: drawbar pull, slip ratio, sinking, pressure etc. Set up the softwaretest platform that realizes the network communication, real-time information collectionand the speed control of robot.Make research on the tracked robot traction performance to validate the combined theory model. Make grouping experiments design, conduct sand terrain type and loamterrain type experiments separately to realize the system identification to sand terrainparameters and loam terrain parameters. Conduct experiment about the effect of grouserheight and vertical load to traction performance, analyze the experiment result andcompare the theory model with experiment result. It found that the theory agree with theexperiment results well. Conduct the traction performance experiment about two typicalpostures in the obstacle-surmounting process to provide the data support for previousmodel.