9668 - INNOVATING MOBILITY: A STUDENT COMPETITION IN WHEEL AND TRACK DESIGN

Paper presented at ISTVS 2025 | 55th Conference of the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems https://doi.org/10.56884/IW5OTL1Q

Authors: Devin Chen, Chaitanya Shekhar Sonalkar, Riku Kikuta, Andries Peenze, Varsha S Swamy, John Ethan Salmon, Bohumir Jelinek, George Mason, P. Schalk Els, Corina Sandu

Keywords: Terramechanics; Off-road mobility; Hands-on/Experiential Learning; ISTVS student competitions; Rapid Prototyping

Abstract:

In this paper, we propose a new initiative for the ISTVS Wheel/Track Design Student Competition, aimed at engaging students in terramechanics and providing hands-on experience in off-road wheel/track design and testing. The competition will challenge student teams to design and fabricate a wheel or track system for a small vehicle, which will then undergo a series of tractive performance and mobility tests in selected soil types. By minimizing costs and focusing on practical, accessible design and testing methods, the competition ensures that students from various backgrounds and disciplines at any interested university can participate.

The competition will include design presentations and performance tests, evaluated using structured scoring criteria. To support accessibility, teams can use freely available CAD software, 3D printing, and other rapid prototyping techniques.

The performance evaluation will be conducted using a test matrix that examines both structural integrity and performance metrics, which may include slope tests, measurement of drawbar pull, sinkage versus slip, lateral forces in turn, and slope climbing characterization in alignment with ISTVS standards. A single-wheeled terramechanics test rig will assess the wheel/track performance in controlled environments, optionally supplemented by the small-vehicle based mobility tests under various soil conditions in the field. Through this competition, students will gain valuable experience, develop innovative solutions, and develop connections to ISTVS, fostering the next generation of terramechanics engineers.