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

Hardbound. The computer-aided methods presented in this book represent recent advances in the methodology for predicting and evaluating off-road vehicle performance. The mathematical models established for vehicle-terrain systems will enable the engineering practitioner to evaluate, on a rational basis, a wide range of options and to select an appropriate vehicle configuration for a given mission and environment. The models take into account all major design and operational parameters, as well as pertinent terrain characteristics.Applications of the computer-aided engineering methods to the parametric analysis of off-road vehicle design are demonstrated through examples.

THEORY OF GROUND VEHICLES A leading and authoritative text for advancing ground vehicle mobility Theory of Ground Vehicles, Fifth Edition presents updated and expanded coverage of the critical factors affecting the performance, handling, and ride essential to the development and design of road and off-road vehicles. Replacing internal combustion engines with zero-emission powerplants in ground vehicles to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions for curbing climate change has received worldwide attention by both the vehicle industry and governmental agencies. To enhance safety, traffic flow, and operating efficiency of road transport, automated driving systems have been under active development. With growing interest in the exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond, research in terramechanics for guiding the development of extraterrestrial rovers has been intensified. In this new edition, these and other topics of interest in the field of ground vehicle technology are explored, and technical data are updated. New features of this edition include: Expanded coverage of the fundamentals of electric drives, hybrid electric drives, and fuel cell technology Introduction to the classification and operating principles of the automated driving system and cooperative driving automation Applications of terramechanics to guiding the development of extraterrestrial rovers Elaboration on the approach to achieving the optimal operating efficiency of all-wheel drive off-road vehicles Introduction to updated ISO Standards for evaluating vehicle ride An updated and comprehensive text and reference for both the educational and professional communities, Theory of Ground Vehicles, Fifth Edition will prove invaluable to aspiring and practicing engineers seeking to solve real-world road and off-road vehicle mobility problems.

This comprehensive handbook provides an overview of space technology and a holistic understanding of the system-of-systems that is a modern spacecraft. With a foreword by Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX, and contributions from globally leading agency experts from NASA, ESA, JAXA, and CNES, as well as European and North American academics and industrialists, this handbook, as well as giving an interdisciplinary overview, offers, through individual self-contained chapters, more detailed understanding of specific fields, ranging through: · Launch systems, structures, power, thermal, communications, propulsion, and software, to · entry, descent and landing, ground segment, robotics, and data systems, to · technology management, legal and regulatory issues, and project management. This handbook is an equally invaluable asset to those on a career path towards the space industry as it is to those already within the industry.

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 will be the only book on planetary rover development covering all aspects relevant to the design of systems

An updated edition of the classic reference on the dynamics of road and off-road vehicles As we enter a new millennium, the vehicle industry faces greater challenges than ever before as it strives to meet the increasing demand for safer, environmentally friendlier, more energy efficient, and lower emissions products. Theory of Ground Vehicles, Third Edition gives aspiring and practicing engineers a fundamental understanding of the critical factors affecting the performance, handling, and ride essential to the development and design of ground vehicles that meet these requirements. As in previous editions, this book focuses on applying engineering principles to the analysis of vehicle behavior. A large number of practical examples and problems are included throughout to help readers bridge the gap between theory and practice. Covering a wide range of topics concerning the dynamics of road and off-road vehicles, this Third Edition is filled with up-to-date information, including: * The Magic Formula for characterizing pneumatic tire behavior from test data for vehicle handling simulations * Computer-aided methods for performance and design evaluation of off-road vehicles, based on the author's own research * Updated data on road vehicle transmissions and operating fuel economy * Fundamentals of road vehicle stability control * Optimization of the performance of four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles and experimental substantiation, based on the author's own investigations * A new theory on skid-steering of tracked vehicles, developed by the author.

Classical vehicle dynamics, which is the basis for manned ground vehicle design, has exhausted its potential for providing novel design concepts to a large degree. At the same time, unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) dynamics is still in its infancy and is currently being developed using general analytical dynamics principles with very little input from actual vehicle dynamics theory. This technical book presents outcomes from the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) ‘Advanced Autonomous Vehicle Design for Severe Environments’, held in Coventry, UK, in July 2014. The ASI provided a platform for world class professionals to meet and discuss leading-edge research, engineering accomplishments and future trends in manned and unmanned ground vehicle dynamics, terrain mobility and energy efficiency. The outcomes of this collective effort serve as an analytical foundation for autonomous vehicle design. Topics covered include: historical aspects, pivotal accomplishments and the analysis of future trends in on- and off-road manned and unmanned vehicle dynamics; terramechanics, soil dynamic characteristics, uncertainties and stochastic characteristics of vehicle-environment interaction for agile vehicle dynamics modeling; new methods and techniques in on-line control and learning for vehicle autonomy; fundamentals of agility and severe environments; mechatronics and cyber-physics issues of agile vehicle dynamics to design for control, energy harvesting and cyber security; and case studies of agile and inverse vehicle dynamics and vehicle systems design, including optimisation of suspension and driveline systems. The book targets graduate students, who desire to advance further in leading-edge vehicle dynamics topics in manned and unmanned ground vehicles, PhD students continuing their research work and building advanced curricula in academia and industry, and researchers in government agencies and private companies.

This book deals with the analysis of off-road vehicle dynamics from kinetics and kinematics perspectives and the performance of vehicle traversing over rough and irregular terrain. The authors consider the wheel performance, soil-tire interactions and their interface, tractive performance of the vehicle, ride comfort, stability over maneuvering, transient and steady state conditions of the vehicle traversing, modeling the aforementioned aspects and optimization from energetic and vehicle mobility perspectives. This book brings novel figures for the transient dynamics and original wheel terrain dynamics at on-the-go condition.