> 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/7265.md). # 7265 - EVALUATION OF A NEW FRICTION MEASUREMENT DEVICE ON COLD REGIONS TERRAIN {% hint style="info" %} Paper presented at ISTVS 2025 | 55th Conference of the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems {% endhint %} **Authors:** *Sally Shoop, Elder Bruce, Stephen Meurer, Owen Parker, Nathan Kamprath, Don Halliday* **Keywords:** Cold regions; Arctic; Snow; Ice; Friction; Tire; Monitoring; Tire testing; Characterization; Winter **Abstract:** The RT3 Simplified Curve Unit (SCU) friction tester, by Halliday Technologies, measures surface friction by operating the test wheel at a small side-slip angle. It can be operated at highway speeds and can be used with either aircraft or truck tires and was specifically designed for robust operations in cold environments in the far north. The US Army purchased the Halliday RT3 SCU (SCU) friction tester for use at the Cold Regions Test Center in Alaska, but it was first evaluated for comparison to standard friction test techniques and cold room performance at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, NH. Afterwards, it was shipped to Alaska and used on snow and ice test surfaces during March and April of 2025. This paper reports on how the SCU tester measures and reports friction measurement, testing the SCU unit on a wide variety of on- and off-road surfaces, compares the SCU friction measurements to other friction measurement techniques, and reports on the results of cold room testing and operational and exploratory measurements on snow and ice fields in Alaska. A discussion of the measurement technique and results is presented along with conclusions for optimizing use on cold regions terrain surface characterization and monitoring for mobility testing purposes. --- # 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/7265.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.