> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://2025.istvs.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://2025.istvs.org/submissions/papers/2264.md). # 2264 - MOBILITY TESTING ON FROST SUSCEPTIBLE SOILS AT FIELD CAPACITY {% hint style="info" %} Paper presented at ISTVS 2025 | 55th Conference of the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems {% endhint %} **Authors:** *Michael Parker, Clifford Witte, Allan Wheeler, Susan Frankenstein* **Keywords:** Mobility; vehicle; Arctic; freeze/thaw; field capacity; organic; soils **Abstract:** Frost susceptible soils include a wide variety of soil types from highly organic to fine grained silty soils. These soils can pose significant mobility challenges during each of the four seasons especially during the freeze/thaw transition periods between seasons. These mobility challenges have been on display during several conflicts throughout history with the most recent being the war in Ukraine. Maintaining mobility superiority during conflict is critical to avoiding immobilization and becoming a target while maintaining mobility in the Arctic can have similar consequences because immobilization can mean the difference between life or death due to the harsh environmental conditions. This research studies the effects on vehicle mobility across three vehicle classes including both wheeled and tracked platforms operating on peat and silty soils at field capacity. Testing occurred on unfrozen, partially frozen, fully frozen, and partially thawed soil conditions to capture the maximum tractive force during these transitional seasons and better predict cross-country vehicle mobility. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://2025.istvs.org/submissions/papers/2264.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.