Locomotion on Soft Granular Soils: A Discrete Element based Approach for Simulations in Planetary Exploration

Kurzfassung

To meet the increasing mobility demands in planetary exploration, there is a need for further detailed soil interaction models. Therefore a simulation framework based on the three-dimensional Discrete Element Method (DEM) is developed. This approach implicitly covers the soils grain relocation and the resulting plastic deformations. The model and framework are designated to predict the dynamic interaction with soft soils for development of locomotion equipment and strategies. As the shear strength of granular matter strongly depends on interparticle friction and rotation, a new interparticle contact model is developed. For determining the particle’s contact parameters, a first procedure without the need of preliminary calibration simulations has been designed. First results, which could be used for wheel development are presented. Bevameter measurements are used to set the particles parameters as well as for verification issues.