Design and traction performance of the movable lug wheel

A movable lug wheel using a rollers-sliding groove mechanism was designed, constructed and tested. Two types of lug moving patterns of the movable lug wheel were proposed and evaluated. Tests were conducted in a soil bin test apparatus to determine the traction performance of the wheel as affected by lug moving pattern, lug spacing, horizontal load and vertical load. Similar tests were also conducted using a fixed lug wheel. Generally, under the same level of vertical load, the fixed lug wheel sank more than the movable lug wheels did. However in general, under various horizontal loads, there was no significant difference of slip between the movable lug wheel and the fixed lug wheel. Among the test lug wheels, the movable lug wheel with lug moving pattern-2 required the smallest driving torque and developed the highest traction efficiency.     

Mathematical models for soil displacement under a rigid wheel

Soil–wheel interaction especially soil deformation caused by the wheel motion was investigated experimentally using a sophisticated soil bin test apparatus and an on-line measurement system for soil displacement. Based on these test results, characteristics of soil deformation were summarized focusing on the behavior and distribution of displacement increment vectors. Mathematical models were examined in order to describe the displacements of soil particles. Properties of the displacement loci are described. The magnitude of the displacement increment vector, its horizontal and vertical components are discussed, and characteristics of these distributions with respect to the relative horizontal distance from the vertical centerline of the wheel to the target point are clarified. Shapes of these distribution curves were closely similar to those of the derivatives of a Gaussian function. A distribution curve of the horizontal displacement increment had two peaks and that of the vertical one had three peaks. Based on the results, mathematical models for those displacement increments were proposed by employing a Gaussian function through multiplication of a linear function and a quadratic function. Predicted distributions and displacement loci of the models agreed with high accuracy to the measured values. The mathematical models were extended taking into consideration the wheel slip. The predicted distributions according to test conditions agreed very well to the measured results.     

Experimental analysis of soil reaction on a lug of a movable lug wheel

A movable lug wheel was tested in a soil bin test apparatus to determine its traction performance and to measure the soil reaction forces on its lugs. Similar tests were also conducted using a fixed lug wheel. The effects of the lug motion pattern, lug spacing and horizontal load on pull and lift forces were studied. From the experiments it is confirmed that the movable action of the lug plate could generate superior pull and lift forces in comparison with the fixed lug wheel. Among the test wheels, lug motion pattern-2 generated the highest pull and lift forces. Within the range of the test conditions, there was no significant difference in pull and lift forces of the lug plate between the test lug wheels with 12 lugs and 15 lugs at the same level of horizontal and vertical loads. The increase of horizontal load up to 200 N generally increased the pull force and generated smaller rolling resistance before the lug left the soil, but did not increase the lift force significantly. The patterns of pull force, lift force and drawbar pull generated under a constant slip were slightly different from those under a constant horizontal load. Finally, the results were also elucidated by their actual lug trajectories in soil.     

Soil flow analysis for grouser wheels based on a particle image velocimetry method

This paper presents an analysis, based on a particle image velocimetry method, of soil flow field beneath a grouser wheel traveling over loose soil. Although the grouser wheel is expected to have better traction and mobility over fine, loose soil, its interaction mechanisms with the soil remain to be elucidated. Thus, a particle image velocimetry-based soil flow analysis is conducted to directly observe soil behavior around the grouser wheel. In the experimental analysis, key parameters of the soil flow field, such as general shape, thickness, streamlines of the flow field, soil velocity on the streamlines, and soil failure angle are examined quantitatively. From the results, the soil flow shape periodically changes with wheel rotation, and this change appears, depending on wheel slip varying over time. Furthermore, the experimental result of the soil failure angle differs drastically from its typical theory. These results will contribute to modeling the mechanical interaction between the grouser wheel and soil.     

A low shear rate turbulent flow apparatus

This paper describes some experiments on a turbulent flow viscometer consisting of a continuous pipe loop of transparent material mounted on a circular wheel. The wheel is partially filled with fluid and rotated at a constant speed. The results show that the apparatus gives sensible results and although only a limited range of Reynolds numbers is possible it can be used as a useful qualitative apparatus to test dilute fluids which have abnormal turbulent flow properties.     

Development of in-wheel sensor system for accurate measurement of wheel terrain interaction characteristics

Planetary rovers need high mobility on a rough terrain such as sandy soil, because such a terrain often impedes the rover mobility and causes significant wheel slip. Therefore, the accurate estimation of wheel soil interaction characteristics is an important issue. Recent studies related to wheel soil interaction mechanics have revealed that the classical wheel model has not adequately addressed the actual interaction characteristics observed through experiments. This article proposes an in-wheel sensor system equipped with two sensory devices on the wheel surface: force sensors that directly measure the force distribution between the wheel and soil and light sensors that accurately detect the wheel soil surface boundary line. This sensor design enables the accurate measurement of wheel terrain interaction characteristics such as wheel force distribution, wheel–soil contact angles, and wheel sinkage when the powered wheel runs on loose sand. In this article, the development of the in-wheel sensor system is introduced along with its system diagram and sensor modules. The usefulness of the in-wheel sensor system is then experimentally evaluated via a single wheel test bench. The experimental results confirm that explicit differences can be observed between the classical wheel model and practical data measured by the in-wheel sensor system.     

Dynamic behaviour of an open lugged wheel under paddy soil conditions

Many experimental studies of open lugged wheel-soil interaction have been conducted, mainly based on the condition of constant slip and sinkage. As a result the reaction force to lugs seemed to be equal to the soil cutting resistance to a metal surface. However, analyses based on such methods do not appear to represent the actual behaviour of lugged wheel-soil interaction, especially when the lugs are spaced widely. The actual motion the wheel axle. In this study, an experimental device for a model lugged wheel was constructed to investigate the characteristics of the interaction between a lugged wheel and soil. Experiments were conducted under several test conditions of soil including paddy soil with a hard pan. The result of both theoretical and experimental data indicated that slip and sinkage of a lugged wheel showed a fluctuation with rotation angle of which the period is equal to the angular lug spacing. In each test soil condition used, the motion of the lugged wheel and the reaction forces acting on each lug from the soil for a free sinking wheel were different from that of the condition of constant slip and sinkage. It was found that the results obtained from this study could clarify the actual behaviour of lugged wheel-soil interaction.     

Identification of the shear parameters for lunar regolith based on a GA-BP neural network

Identifying the mechanical parameters of lunar soil through the rover’s wheel can provide the basic data for path planning, risk avoidance, and traction control. In this paper, the shear parameters of lunar soil are identified by a Back Propagation neural network optimized by Genetic Algorithm (GA-BP) based on a simplified wheel-soil model. For the GA-BP identified model, the input data are driving torque (T), vertical load (W) and slip ratio (s) of the wheel. The output data are internal friction angle (φ) and shear deformation modulus (K). A total of 315 sets of data are used to train GA-BP and BP algorithms. Data from single-wheel soil bin test are put into the trained algorithms to identify φ and K of lunar soil simulant. The test results demonstrate that GA-BP algorithm is accurate and effect to identify shear parameters of regolith online. The comparison between identified results and test results shows that the GA-BP algorithm is better than the BP algorithm. The cohesion is set to 1.5 kPa and then the drawbar pull is predicted according to the identified φ and K of GA-BP. The test results show that the prediction of DP is reasonable.     

Prediction of tractive response for flexible wheels with application to planetary rovers

Planetary rovers are typically developed for high-risk missions. Locomotion requires traction to provide forward thrust on the ground. In soft soils, traction is limited by the mechanical properties of the soil, therefore lack of traction and wheel slippage cause difficulties during the operation of the rover. A possible solution to increase the traction force is to increase the size of the wheel-ground contact area. Flexible wheels provide this due to the deformation of the loaded wheel and hence this decreases the ground pressure on the soil surface. This study focuses on development of an analytical model which is an extension to the Bekker theory to predict the tractive performance for a metal flexible wheel by using the geometric model of the wheel in deformation. We demonstrate that the new analytical model closely matches experimental results. Hence this model can be used in the design of robust and optimal traction control algorithms for planetary rovers and for the design and the optimisation of flexible wheels.     

Mechanical behaviour of the upper layers of a sandy loam soil under shear loading

The mechanical behaviour of the upper layers of a sandy loam soil was studied under standard triaxial compression and direct shear box tests. Variations of soil material properties were investigated at four different initial dry bulk densities of 1410, 1520, 1610 and 1670 kg/m³. Soil deformation and volume change under the triaxial compression loading were also studied at these bulk densities. Results from the two tests showed increases in the soil mechanical properties with the initial dry bulk density. The internal friction angle values measured with the triaxial compression apparatus exceeded those measured with the direct shear box. In contrast, the soil cohesion values measured with the direct shear box exceeded those measured with the triaxial compression apparatus. Under the triaxial compression test, the loose soil samples underwent contraction and volume reduction, whereas the dense samples swelled and failure cracks appeared clearly at various planes. The soil contraction for the former case characterizes the occurrence of soil compaction, whereas the cracks propagation and volume increase in the latter case characterizes the breaking up and loosening of soil during tillage operations. For the loose and moderately compacted states, the engineering Poisson's ratio increased with the axial strain until loading was completed. It also increased at the compacted and very compacted states until reaching given loading stages, after which its value started to decrease. This shifting in the engineering Poisson's ratio during loading may provide another identification of the moment of soil failure occurrence, in addition to that of the maximum shear stress.     

Travelling performance of a wheel on a finite thickness ground

Off-road terrain can often be regarded as a finite thickness ground consisting of a soft soil layer on a rigid base. Experiments for the traveling performance of a wheel in a dense sand layer on a rigid base revealed that as the soil layer thickness decreases under the condition of high constant slip, the drawbar pull does not increase monotonically but increases gradually to a maximal value, then decreases to a minimal value, and thereafter again increases rapidly to the highest value at zero soil layer thickness. The mechanical interpretation of the relationship between the drawbar pull and the soil layer thickness is given qualitatively from the aspects of the shear characteristics of dense sand and the rigid-body friction between the wheel and the rigid base of the soil layer. It is indicated that the relationship takes the same form as van der Waals' state equation for the pressure and the volume of an imperfect gas with a phase transition between gas and liquid. The equation representing the relationship of the drawbar pull to the soil layer thickness is proposed in accordance with van der Waals' equation.     

Further study of the method of approach to testing the performance of extraterrestrial rovers/rover wheels on earth

The current practice for experimentally evaluating the performance of extraterrestrial rovers/rover wheels is to conduct tests on earth on a soil simulant, appropriate to the regolith on the extraterrestrial body of interest. In the tests, the normal load (force) applied by the rover/rover wheel to the soil simulant is set identical to that expected on the extraterrestrial surface, taking into account its acceleration due to gravity. It should be pointed out, however, that the soil simulant used in the tests is subject to earth gravity, while the regolith on the extraterrestrial surface is subject to a different gravity. Thus, it is uncertain whether the performance of the rover/rover wheel obtained from tests on earth represents that on the extraterrestrial surface. This issue has been explored previously. A method has been proposed for conducting tests of the rover/rover wheel on earth with identical mass to that on the extraterrestrial surface, instead of with identical normal load used in the current practice [1]. This paper provides further evidence to substantiate the merits of the proposed method, based on a detailed analysis of the test data obtained under various gravity conditions, produced in an aircraft undergoing parabolic flight manoeuvres [8]. In the study, the effect of slip on wheel sinkage has been evaluated. It is found that gravity has little effect on the slip and sinkage relationship of the rover wheel under self-propelled conditions.     

Influence of atmosphere on lunar rover performance analysis based on soil parameter identification

This paper outlines an analysis of the traveling performance of a lunar rover. The analysis is in the form of numerical simulations and it uses soil properties, identified in vacuum, and mechanics of wheel-based travel. The wheel-to-ground contact model and soil parameters are determined first so they could be used in the numerical simulation. A soil test device is introduced and the soil parameters are identified from plate-pressing and shear tests. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted using the parameters identified and their results are discussed along with those of the traveling tests conducted in vacuum. The soil tests indicated that the wheel sinkage into the ground can increase in vacuum and that the shear stress acting beneath the wheel in vacuum is almost the same as that in the atmosphere. Because of these trends, the simulations and traveling tests showed that the traveling performance of the wheel can decrease in vacuum. Although it has been widely considered that the vacuum environments enhance the traveling performance of the wheel, this study confirmed that it is not always the case.     

特性拦阻材料的台架实验装置研制

本文建立了单轮负载、平台拖动式的台架实验装置,并开展了验证实验。该装置主要包括固定框架、吊篮、活动平台、机轮夹持组件和传感器。将拦阻材料安装在活动平台上,通过牵引活动平台实现机轮对拦阻材料的碾压。该装置可以更换不同机轮、安装不同性能的拦阻材料;实验条件包括机轮胎压、机轮承重等参数;传感器可以测量实验过程中机轮受到的拦阻力、机轮压入深度等参数。该装置可以为研究机轮规格、胎压、承重、拦阻材料性能等对拦阻力的影响提供实验手段。验证实验结果表明,所建立的装置可以满足机轮与特性拦阻材料力学模型研究的需要。     

Measurement of force to excavate extraterrestrial regolith with a small bucket-wheel device

The plans for NASA missions to the moon and mars require excavation of regolith (soil) especially to realize the benefits of in situ resource utilization. Micro-scale excavators might be good candidates for these missions since they will significantly reduce launch mass. Even though the excavator might be small, it still has to be capable, reliable, and power efficient. This paper reports on research to measure the amount of force such a small excavator must generate to be effective. Previous research indicates a bucket-wheel excavator is a good candidate excavator tool; so, we developed a laboratory-scale apparatus to measure the horizontal and vertical forces and power required to excavate simulated regolith with a micro-scale bucket wheel. This paper describes the apparatus and presents the results of measurements along with a comparison with modeled forces, concluding that micro-excavators are feasible candidates for ISRU work.     

The development of wheels for the Lunar Roving Vehicle

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) was developed for NASA’s Apollo program so astronauts could cover a greater range on the lunar surface, carry more science instruments, and return more soil and rock samples than by foot. Because of the unique lunar environment, the creation of flexible wheels was the most challenging and time consuming aspect of the LRV development. Wheels developed for previous lunar systems were not sufficient for use with this manned vehicle; therefore, several new designs were created and tested. Based on criteria set by NASA, the choices were narrowed down to two: the wire mesh wheel developed by General Motors, and the hoop spring wheel developed by the Bendix Corporation. Each of these underwent intensive mechanical, material, and terramechanical analyses, and in the end, the wire mesh wheel was chosen for the LRV. Though the wire mesh wheel was determined to be the best choice for its particular application, it may be insufficient towards achieving the objectives of future lunar missions that could require higher tractive capability, increased weight capacity, or extended life. Therefore lessons learned from the original LRV wheel development and suggestions for future Moon wheel projects are offered.     

车轮钢滚动剥离摩擦磨损特性研究

在NENE-2型摩擦磨损试验机上利用往复滚动试验装置研究了不同滚滑状态下车轮钢的剥离摩擦磨损特性和碳含量对车轮钢滚动剥离磨损性能的影响.结果表明:在不同滚滑状态下摩擦副之间的摩擦力不同,平面试样的表面磨痕形貌随着不同的切向摩擦力而明显不同,随着切向摩擦力的增大滚动磨损机制亦发生改变,剥离磨损加剧且磨损深度变大,当相对滑动量增大到一定程度后,磨损表现为明显的剥层机制;碳含量对车轮钢的滚动磨损表面磨痕形貌影响显著,碳含量低时磨痕以犁沟为主,碳含量高时剥离磨损发生的概率增加.     

Mechanical properties in relation to vehicle mobility of Sepang peat terrain in Malaysia

An analytical framework for determining the mechanical properties of peat and predicting the tractive performance of tracked vehicle is presented. It takes into account the load-sinkage and shearing characteristics of peat as well as all major design parameters of tracked vehicle. An experimental study on the mechanical properties of peat soil was conducted at Sepang area, Selangor, Malaysia. The stiffness values of surface mat and underlying weak peat deposit from load-sinkage test were determined by specially made bearing capacity apparatus. The mean values of surface mat stiffness before and after drainage were found to be 31 and 45.62 kN/m³, respectively and the mean values of underlying peat stiffness before and after drainage were found to be 252 and 380.20 kN/m³, respectively. The mean value of the internal frictional angle, cohesiveness and shear deformation modulus of the peat soil sample were determined using a direct shear box apparatus in the laboratory. The mean values of internal friction angle, cohesiveness and shear deformation modulus before and after drainage were found to be 22.80° and 24.31°, 2.63 and 2.89 kN/m², and 1.21 and 1.37 cm, respectively.     

A novel rigid wheel for agricultural machinery applicable to paddy field with muddy soil

The working performance of agricultural machinery is largely determined by the walking performance of the wheel when driving in complex unstructured soil. However, the driving performance of existing wheels is not satisfactory for paddy field with muddy soil. The purpose of the current study is therefore to propose a novel rigid wheel for agricultural machinery which is applicable to paddy field with muddy soil. Firstly, a novel arc edge shaped wheel was designed based on the principles of mechanics on the ground. Then the driving performance of this arc edge shaped wheel was evaluated using FE modeling of interaction between rigid wheel and soil. Finally, the structure originally designed arc edge shaped wheel was improved according to FE modeling results, and this improved design was further evaluated by both FE simulation and prototype experiments. Both FE modeling and experimental results indicate that the improved arc edge shaped wheel proposed in this study has a good driving performance with regarding to wheel sinkage and soil reaction force. The proposed arc edge shaped wheel could be used as an effective component of rice harvester for paddy field with muddy soil.     

Experimental analysis of vertical soil reaction and soil stress distribution under off-road tires

In this study, the vertical soil reaction acting on a driven wheel was measured by strain gages bonded to the left rear axle of a 2WD tractor driven under steady-state condition on different soil surfaces, tractor operations, and combinations of static wheel load and tire inflation pressure. In addition, the measurements of radial and tangential stresses on the soil–tire interface were made simultaneously at lug’s face and leading side near the centerline of the left rear tire using spot pressure sensors. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method of vertical soil reaction measurement is capable of monitoring the real-time vertical wheel load of a moving vehicle and provides a tool for further studies on vehicle dynamics and dynamic wheel–soil interaction. Furthermore, the measured distributions of soil stresses under tractor tire could provide more real insight into the soil–wheel interactions.