Terramechanics-based performance enhancement of the wide robotic wheel on the soft terrains, Part I: wheel shape optimization

Abstract

the first part of this paper presents an approach for characterization of the essential terra mechanic and dynamic parameters of the wide robotic wheels moving on soft soil using the soil contact model (SCM) method. This method will be used in a complex optimization algorithm based on the direct search approach to find the optimized shape of the wheels whereby the rovers can properly steer and move. The sinkage of the wheel, the lateral and longitudinal interaction forces, the pressure distribution and some new measures such as effective radius will be investigated as the optimization cost functions to achieve the elite shapes. According to the results of this optimization, the complete spatial dynamics of a four-wheeled rover will be extracted in part II of this paper. Using the optimized wheels, the rover will be empowered to rove on the rough and soft soil or sand. Indeed, the main idea of the part I of this paper is to dynamically optimize the shape of the super wide wheels according to the terra mechanic principles of the wheel-soil interaction.