Terramechanics-based modeling of sinkage and moment for in-situ steering wheels of mobile robots on deformable terrain

Abstract

The success of NASA's Mars missions has generated a renewed interest in planetary exploration, along with a need for better mobility of wheeled mobile robots (WMRs)—steering performance, in particular, has not yet reached an acceptable benchmark in high-precision models. This study focuses on the steering mechanics of WMRs, as it can enrich the terramechanics of planetary rovers. An improved sinkage model based on the variable sinkage exponent is proposed, and the sinkage exponent is derived as a function of steering angle. Furthermore, a high-precision steering moment model is proposed based on the steering-sinkage model, which considers the interaction area and the lug effect. The model can fit the results obtained by all of the experimental wheels, based on soil parameter identification. Most of the max relative errors (MREs) for the sinkage are within 5%, and the coefficients of determination are more than 0.97. The MREs of moment increase with increasing vertical load but remain within 10%. This technique can also be applied to other WMRs with rigid wheels steering on deformable terrain.