Design and implementation of a novel apparatus for terramechanics studies of helical scrolls

Modeling the force interaction between a wheel and the ground is necessary when evaluating the effectiveness of a vehicle’s mobility on challenging terrain. Soft soils with low bearing strength are a particularly difficult medium for wheeled vehicles. Helical scrolls have shown promise as an alternative to wheels which can work across a range of terrains, warranting a detailed terramechanics study to model their capabilities. Most of the existing terramechanics literature is limited to wheels and often employs an apparatus to study single wheels in a fixed geometry.

This paper describes the design and implementation of a novel apparatus capable of housing a range of scroll geometries and configurations. The apparatus is comprised of a soil container, carriage to drive the scroll in two operating configurations, and a surrounding frame that enables both vertical and horizontal motions of the carriage. The carriage is outfitted with a drive system and instrumentation to measure the sinkage, stress, and drawbar pull values required for a terramechanics characterization. Initial stress-sinkage curves for three different scroll configurations align with expected results and provide a proof of concept that the proposed apparatus can successfully measure differing geometric parameters and can be used for further terramechanics characterizations.