MOISTURE-DEPENDENT TRACTIVE PERFORMANCE OF SINGLE GROUSER SHOE IN PADDY SOIL: A MECHANICAL PROPERTIES ANALYSIS

Abstract

The mechanical properties of soil are most pertinent to the tractive performance of an off-road tracked vehicle. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of soil mechanical properties on the tractive performance of a single grouser shoe. Under controlled paddy soil conditions, the experiments comprised five soil moisture contents (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30%) and a single grouser shoe. Soil (soil reaction force, sinkage, cohesion, adhesion, internal and external friction angle) and tractive performance parameters (thrust, running resistance, and traction) were obtained by direct shear and penetration tests. A sensor-based soil bin was designed and constructed for the penetration test. The results revealed that the highest cohesion and adhesion were found for 10%, whereas the lowest were at 30% moisture content. Similarly, the maximum internal and external friction angles were obtained for 10% and 15%, while the minimum was at 20% and 25%, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum running resistance and soil sinkage were obtained for 30% and minimum at 10%. Moreover, soil thrust and traction had a linear decreasing trend towards soil moisture content. It was concluded that a tracked vehicle with the proposed dimensions of the track shoe could be operated under moderate moisture content under paddy soil for achieving better traction.​