Abstract The traction force of a tracked unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) depends on the soil thrust generated by the shearing action on the soil-track interface. In the development of soil thrust, because the continuous-track system consists of a number of single-track systems connected to each other, interference occurs between the adjacent single-track systems through the surrounding soil. Thus, the total soil thrust of the continuous-track system is not equal to the sum of the soil thrust of each single-track system, and the interference effect needs to be carefully considered. In this study, model track tests were conducted on model single-, double-, and triple-track systems according to relative density of soil and shape ratio (i.e., the length of the track plate to grouser depth). The test results indicated that the interference effect reduced soil thrust due to the overlapping shear zones between adjoining single-track systems. The loss of soil thrust increased as the relative density of the soil increased and the shape ratio decreased. Based on these findings, a soil thrust multiplier that can be utilized to assess the soil thrust of a continuous-track system was developed.

中文翻译：

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使用模型轨道试验研究履带式无人地面车辆（UGV）的土壤推力干扰效应

摘要 履带式无人地面车辆（UGV）的牵引力取决于土壤-履带界面上的剪切作用产生的土壤推力。在土壤推力发展过程中，由于连续轨道系统由多个相互连接的单轨道系统组成，相邻的单轨道系统之间会通过周围土壤发生干扰。因此，连续轨道系统的总土推力不等于每个单轨道系统的土推力之和，需要仔细考虑干扰效应。在这项研究中，根据土壤的相对密度和形状比（即履带板长度与履带齿深度）对模型单、双和三履带系统进行了模型履带试验。测试结果表明，由于相邻单轨系统之间的剪切带重叠，干扰效应降低了土壤推力。土壤推力损失随着土壤相对密度的增加和形状比的减小而增加。基于这些发现，开发了一种可用于评估连续轨道系统土壤推力的土壤推力乘数。