Prediction of obstacle climbing capability for tracked vehicles

Abstract

Among mobility issues of tracked vehicles, obstacle climbing is one of the most important problems which should be addressed. In this paper, we present a theoretical method of deriving the maximum height which a tracked robot (with and without sub-tracks) is capable of climbing. This can be employed as a useful factor in mechanical design process, judgment of obstacle climbing, optimization, and autonomous train traversal algorithms for tracked vehicles. Geometrical dimensions and position of the Center of Gravity (COG) are the parameters which this method depends on. Finally, the validation of the theory is done using two heterogeneous tracked vehicles.