TRAFFICABILITY TESTS WITH MAJOR/MINOR WHEEL VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 16X14.5-6 TIRES.
Abstract
The major/minor wheel vehicle, an experimental vehicle that employs the Terrastar locomotion concept, was tested on soils having a wide range of strengths, on asphalt pavement, and in water. The purpose of the tests was to determine (a) the minimum soil strength, in terms of rating cone index, that will permit the vehicle to complete one and 50 passes in a straight-line path (i.e. the vehicle cone index for one pass, VCI1, and 50 passes, VCI50), (b) one-pass drawbar pull-slip and motion resistance-soil strength relations, (c) hard surface drawbar pull-vehicle speed relations, (d) slope-climbing capabilities, (e) water speed, and (f) water exit capabilities. Mechanical breakdowns prevented completion of some portions of the test program. The experimental VCI50 was determined to be 21 and the experimental VCI1 to be 8. This compares favorably with the computed VCI50 of 27 and computed VCI1 of 14. The maximum drawbar pull on a paved surface was 65 percent of vehicle weight; the maximum drawbar pull on soil was about 57 percent of vehicle weight. Maximum drawbar pull and motion resistance were shown to be related to soil strength. The maximum water speed was 3.0 mph. Appendix A presents the formula and computations for determination of the vehicle cone index. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0841855
Entities
People
- Edgar S. Rush
- James H. Robinson