PREDICTING WHEELED VEHICLE MOTION RESISTANCE IN SHALLOW SNOW

A vehicle traveling through snow is required to expend a greater amount of energy than is necessary when traveling on a rigid surface. Visually, this energy difference can be explained by the formation of a rut. Various attempts have been made in the past to equate the energy of compaction to vehicle motion resistance. However, many of the previous models use information gathered through the application of a vertical force (with a plate-sinkage device) to predict the horizontal motion resisting force. In an attempt to more accurately quantify the relationship between snow compaction and vehicle motion resistance, a vectorial analysis of compaction by a wheel is performed. A method for separating the compaction due to vehicle weight and forward thrust (horizontal propulsion) is suggested. Two methods of using this compaction force breakdown with field-generation data are proposed for the calculation of vehicle motion resistance in shallow snow.

• Corporate Authors:

  U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

  72 Lyme Road
  Hanover, NH  United States  03755-1290
• Authors:
  • Blaisdell, G L
• Publication Date: 1981-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 23 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compaction; Energy; Forecasting; Motion; Pavement ruts; Snow; Vector analysis; Wheels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rut
• Old TRIS Terms: Resistance
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00393860
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: CRREL-SR-81-30
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 30 1985 12:00AM