ANALYSIS OF TRACKED-VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS USING A FRICTIONAL CONTACT PROBLEM FORMULATION

Abstract

A new procedure for analysis of tracked-vehicle suspension systems under a track length constraint, based on a frictional contact problem formulation, is presented. Impenetrability, inextensibility, unilateral behavior of track, and friction conditions are expressed in complementarity form. The resulting problem is then amenable to efficient numerical algorithms, such as the modified simplex method. This approach is demonstrated through numerical applications to a model of a tracked-vehicle suspension system.