Results of the simulation of tracked vehicles ride considering the interaction with a deformable road

BACKGROUND: Tracked vehicles motion on a deformable road, which can be, for instance, cross-country terrain or field of various agricultural plants, is defined with various indicators. Depending on environment conditions, road surface properties etc., some of these indicators are chosen as main criteria of vehicles operational and technical performance assessment. Search of optimal parameters and operation modes of tracked vehicles demands using numerical modelling of considered processes. AIMS: Using imitational modelling, to obtain visual representation of influence of path unevenness, path microprofile, tracked vehicle velocity, its layout, nature of relation between particular unit assemblies, systems and their properties, physical and mechanical road properties regarding rheological approach to determination of them, state parameters of road material on change of tracked vehicles ride comfort indicators. METHODS: Results of simulation of ride comfort indicators for various tracked vehicles, obtained with the known earlier mathematical model, which considers design and technological properties of them as well as road surface state parameters, presented as physical and mechanical properties, based on a well-known rheological approach, are presented in the article. Agricultural tractors of different mass and the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, based on the 832M tracked chassis, are considered as tracked vehicles. RESULTS: Analysis of obtained relations, based on use of imitational modelling, revealed a set of patterns of tracked vehicles ride comfort indicators changing. It is defined that consideration of rheological characteristics and state parameters of a soil layer helps to improve simulation accuracy significantly. The obtained data shows the influence of velocity, mass and base length of tracked vehicles, offset of pressure center of caterpillar mover and other design parameters on growth of vertical and longitudinal-angular oscillations. CONCLUSIONS: The conducted study contributes to optimal development of tracked vehicles and assembling of different machine-tractor units, performing demanded technological operations in different conditions with specific road surface state parameters.