Sinkage analysis of a full-scale deep-sea mining vehicle track considering dynamic coupling between grouser assemblies and a heterogeneous seabed

IF 3.7 2区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, GEOLOGICAL

Soils and Foundations Pub Date : 2026-06-01 Epub Date: 2026-05-25 DOI:10.1016/j.sandf.2026.101802

Zongxiang Xiu , Yifeng Zeng , Weiwei Wu , Wen Gao , Lejun Liu , Qiuhong Xie , Jianghui Yang , Hao Liu , Xingsen Guo

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The sinkage depth of deep-sea mining vehicles (DSMVs) on soft seabeds is key to traction and efficiency, yet small-scale tests and single-plate numerical models inadequately capture full-scale vehicle–seabed dynamics. In this study, a three-dimensional large deformation numerical model was developed to investigate the sinking characteristics and mechanisms of a full-scale DSMV track in deep-sea soft sediment. The interaction between the full-scale unilateral DSMV track and the soft seabed was analyzed using the coupled Euler-Lagrange (CEL) method, with a user defined Fortran subroutine used to account for the strain softening and strain-rate dependent effects of the seabed. Using the validated numerical model, the effects of the track dynamic parameters and track plate structure on the sinking behavior are analyzed in detail, the mechanism of the sinking behavior of different large deformation shear characteristics of the seabed is clarified, and the important influences of sediment strain softening and strain rate dependence effects on the dynamic sinking process of a DSMV are revealed. Finally, on the basis of the energy method and the numerical simulation results, a new empirical formula is proposed for the sinkage depth prediction of full-scale DSMVs. The results provide new insights into the design and safe operation of DSMVs.

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全尺寸深海采矿车轨道沉降分析-考虑非均质海床与拖曳组件的动力耦合

深海采矿车（dsmv）在软海床上的下沉深度是其牵引力和效率的关键，但小规模试验和单板数值模型不能充分反映车辆-海床的全尺寸动力学。本文采用三维大变形数值模型研究了深海软质沉积物中全尺寸DSMV轨道的沉降特征及机理。采用耦合欧拉-拉格朗日（CEL）方法分析了全尺寸单边DSMV轨道与软海床的相互作用，并使用用户自定义的Fortran子程序来考虑海床的应变软化和应变速率依赖效应。利用验证的数值模型，详细分析了轨道动力参数和轨道板结构对沉降行为的影响，阐明了海底不同大变形剪切特性下沉降行为的机理，揭示了沉积物应变软化效应和应变速率依赖效应对DSMV动态沉降过程的重要影响。最后，在能量法和数值模拟结果的基础上，提出了全尺寸dsmv下沉深度预测的经验公式。研究结果为dsmv的设计和安全运行提供了新的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Soils and Foundations 工程技术-地球科学综合

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

8.10%

发文量

审稿时长

5 months

期刊介绍： Soils and Foundations is one of the leading journals in the field of soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering. It is the official journal of the Japanese Geotechnical Society (JGS)., The journal publishes a variety of original research paper, technical reports, technical notes, as well as the state-of-the-art reports upon invitation by the Editor, in the fields of soil and rock mechanics, geotechnical engineering, and environmental geotechnics. Since the publication of Volume 1, No.1 issue in June 1960, Soils and Foundations will celebrate the 60th anniversary in the year of 2020. Soils and Foundations welcomes theoretical as well as practical work associated with the aforementioned field(s). Case studies that describe the original and interdisciplinary work applicable to geotechnical engineering are particularly encouraged. Discussions to each of the published articles are also welcomed in order to provide an avenue in which opinions of peers may be fed back or exchanged. In providing latest expertise on a specific topic, one issue out of six per year on average was allocated to include selected papers from the International Symposia which were held in Japan as well as overseas.