Military tracked vehicle model. Part I: multibody dynamics formulation

Abstract

Tracked-vehicles have broad areas of application in agriculture, in the construction industry, in the military, and in mobile robotics and space exploration. This study develops a general model of a tracked vehicle using a trailing-arm suspension system, and an independent flexible-band track model. This suspension system is typical for high-speed military tracked vehicles. The suspension systems and the road wheels are modelled in a modular fashion, and can be modified to account for any number of road wheels.