A Modelica Library to Add Contact Dynamics and Terramechanics to Multi-Body Mechanics

Abstract

The Contact Dynamics library extends the multi-body Modelica Standard Library with contact calculation to the environment, namely soft soil and hard obstacles. A focus is on terramechanics, i. e. wheels driving on soft and dry soil, and a handful of models are implemented. Additionally, a Hertz contact model for hard and elastic contact, between bodies themselves or to obstacles in the environment (e. g. rocks in the soft soil), is available as well. The capabilities of the library have been key in the development of rovers for planetary exploration such as the upcoming MMX mission to the Martian moon Phobos.