DRAG COEFFICIENTS OF LOCOMOTION OVER VISCOUS SOILS. PART II
Abstract
A supersaturated viscous mud overlaying a hard bottom material is often critical to locomotion in many areas. To solve the problem of a wheel or tracks the familiar concepts of hydrodynamics pertaining to incompressible viscous fluids maybe applied. A correlation between theory and experiment is indicated. The basic problein to be solved is one of viscous flow around a partially submerged object. The variation in pressure resulting from the friction d r a g causes a bulldozing effect in front of the wheels and a resulting wake at the back part of the wheel. The pressure drag may be reduced by streamlining the wheel which reduces both the amplitude of the pressure wave and the width of the wake behind the wheel. A comparison between various wheel forms has been made and presented in chart form. A study of the correlation between the boundary layer theory and wheels in viscous fluids is suggested. Contrary to accepted practice the usual boundary layer theory seems to apply to a viscous fluid flowing around a partially submerged object when a turbulent wake is formed. It is further suggested that a series of tests be made with muds of various viscosities andwheelforms to correlate the boundary layer thickness and the pressure distribution in the flow field surrounding the wheel as well as an attempt to solve the Navier Stokes equations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1959
- Accession Number
- AD0235703
Entities
People
- Ervin Hegedus
- R. S. Rowe