Terrain Microroughness and the Dynamic Response of Vehicles
Abstract
The design of vehicles with particular operating characteristics on rough terrain requires accurate descriptors of terrain roughness. At present a one parameter description of surface roughness is available that uses the standard deviation of a detrended elevation profile. In order to introduce the frequency content of the terrain into the roughness description, a three parameter model of the surface roughness power spectrum is developed whose parameters are determined from the values of the standard deviation of displacement, slope and curvature obtained from a detrended elevation profile. The three parameter model predicts five distinct types of power spectra which can be used to classify terrain roughness including the cases where periodic features are present. For some types of terrain it is not necessary to use detrended data, and for these cases the power spectra are developed using an undetrended formalism. The three parameter roughness model can be used to predict the power absorbed by the driver. The effects of vehicle geometry including wheel size, wheel spacing and track length are introduced in a natural way through the roughness model. Vehicle dynamics effects including the location of the driver relative to the center of mass of the vehicles are introduce by transmission functions. A comparison with experimental absorbed power data is made.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA120945
Entities
People
- Richard A. Weiss