A new tyre–soil interaction model for vehicle simulation on deformable ground

Abstract

In cooperation with the Ford Research Center Aachen the new tyre–soil interaction model AS2TM for MATLAB/Simulink was developed by Automotive Engineering, Software and Consulting (AESCO). The model is based on the principles introduced by Bekker [Bekker, M.G., 1956, Theory of Land Locomotion: The Mechanics of Vehicle Mobility (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press); Bekker, M.G., 1960, Off the Road Locomotion (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press); Bekker, M.G., 1960, Introduction to Terrain–Vehicle Systems (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press).] and by Janosi and Hanamoto [Janosi, Z. and Hanamoto, B., 1961, Analytical determination of draw bar pull as a function of slip for tracked vehicles in deformable soils. Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the International Society for Terrain–Vehicles Systems, Turin, Italy.] and takes advantage of more than a decade of research work in the field of terra-mechanics at the former Institut für Kraftfahrwesen und Kolbenmaschinen of the University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg under the charge of Professor I.C. Schmid. In this paper, firstly, the theoretical approach of AS2TM is discussed and the implementation of significant soft soil–elastic tyre interaction effects described and, secondly, the stand-alone model has been investigated and validated for steady-state conditions by using a virtual tyre test environment. Furthermore AS2TM is implemented as an S function into veDYNA applying the TYDEX standard tyre interface. The vehicle dynamic behaviour on deformable ground in a full vehicle simulation is highlighted and a comparison of the predicted vehicle performances on various terrains is presented.