Vehicle Traction Mechanics

The fundamental problem in the study of vehicle mobility is the development of traction between the vehicle and the supporting terrain. The mechanics of energy transfer will essentially control the final performance of the surficial machine. Determining and predicting the capability of a particular piece of machinery to traverse successfully a specific piece of terrain is very complex, particularly as the characteristics and properties of different types of terrain cover vary considerably, as do the many types of vehicle and their running gear. The material that forms the basis of this book has been gathered over many years of study both in the laboratory and in the field. It studies vehicle traction mechanics from the viewpoint of the interaction between the vehicle and the ground surface. The types of machines covered include earth-moving, forestry, agricultural, and construction machines. In addition, the mechanisms involved in the development of traction and the working of the terrain through cultivation, construction and surface disturbances are examined. The book also addresses the problems of off-road mobility and terrain trafficability, especially from the terrain-support and terrain interaction points of view. It is the authors' aim that the book will provide the reader with the ability to both analyze and predict the traction capability of his proposed machinery, and also to anticipate the kinds of reactions that will occur in the ground and at the ground surface.

This report reviews the state of the art of snow traction mechanics and presents the results of a limited field exercise that allowed participants to observe and practice current snow measurement processes and vehicle test procedures. The prime recommendations of the workshop attendees were the use of parameters basic to the laws of physics for the classification of snow strength, and the use of instrumented tracked and wheeled vehicles for snow strength measurements. (Author).

Terramechanics is the broad study of terrain-vehicle systems. In this book, all physical processes associated with the static and dynamic interplay between powered and tooled wheeled or tracked vehicles with natural and man-made surfaces are analysed and mathematically modelled.The focus of the book is the technical problem of predicting the p

The pneumatic tyre is a complex structure which performs a variety of functions essential to the effective operation of most vehicles. The performance of a tyre can be considered in terms of a b257 of criteria; durability, tread wear, noise, energy consumption (rolling resistance), vibrations and traction. In this report the authors review recent advances in all these areas. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database gives useful references for further reading.