Optimal Design Method of a Wheel Travel System for Special Purpose and Robotic Vehicle Operating over Sloped Weak Sandy Terrain

In this paper, mathematical modelling of vehicle tractive performance was developed and various center of gravity and height of application force movement effects were analyzed by mathematical simulations. For given set of vehicle dimensions and terrain-wheel system constants, the simulation calculated, effective tractive effort and rear wheel sinkage, slip ratio of a special designed wheeled robotic vehicle running over sloped weak sandy terrain for straight forward motion. For a 5.88 kN weight vehicle, it is clarified that the optimal eccentricity of the center of gravity and the optimal application height are determined as 1/6 and 35 cm respectively, for the range of slope angle less than ∏/18 rad during driving state of the rear wheel etc.