6001 - MODELING AND SIMULATION OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICULAR SYSTEMS AT ERDC - II SOFT SOIL MODEL SUPPORT IN VEHICLE DYNAMICS

Paper presented at ISTVS 2025 | 55th Conference of the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems https://doi.org/10.56884/606GXXY9

Authors: Peilin Song, Burhman Gates, Joshua Fairley

Keywords: Vehicle-Terrain Interaction; Traction; Sinkage; ProjectGL

Abstract:

In vehicular system development, ensuring the fidelity of vehicle dynamics models is critical, especially for military vehicles operating primarily on off-road terrains, where mobility is significantly influenced by various types of soft soils. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has been a pioneer in off-road mobility research, conducting extensive testing on various vehicles across different terrains. These tests have led to the development of empirical formulations for traction, resistance, and sinkage of tractive elements, such as tires and tracks.

ERDC/GSL's Vehicle-Terrain Interaction (VTI) API, which covers both wheeled and tracked vehicles, provides a comprehensive set of empirical relationships that simplify the modeling of vehicle-terrain interactions. These relationships streamline the modeling process, simplify the overall vehicle models, and significantly enhance simulation fidelity. This paper discusses the integration of the VTI API as a plugin within Unreal Engine and ProjectGL, aiming to improve the accuracy and realism of vehicle mobility simulations. By incorporating VTI into these platforms, we achieve high-fidelity simulations of vehicle performance on soft soils, thereby advancing the modeling and analysis of military vehicle mobility in off-road conditions.