| Summary: | Interaction between rigid and flexible track-grouser systems with a clay soil is examined in order to obtain a better understanding of the manner in which energy is transferred and dissipated in the bearing soil substrate. Analytical framework is developed for the establishment of the kind of mechanisms involved in this interaction with a view to obtaining a rational prediction of track-soil performance. === The method of visioplasticity is used to determine the specific participants contributing to the expenditure of energy at different soil levels beneath a simple representative multiple grouser element. Subsoil reponse behaviour and dissipated energy components are investigated for different grouser shapes, spacings, displacements, and flexibility boundary conditions. === A predictive model is established for the off-road track performance prediction based on the principle of energy conservation for the entire track/grouser-soil system. This energetic model provides successful predictions which are in good agreement with the experimentally measured performance of a full track model at various degrees of slip.
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