Abstract
The Finite-Element-Method (FEM) has proved to be a suitable tool for the investigation of wheel soil interaction. Compared to analytical models, the FEM presents numerous advantages. The sinkage and the deflection of the wheel, the pressure distribution in ground, the motion of the soil and especially the contact shape between the elastic wheel and the deformed soil are gained as simulation results. Moreover, the soil compaction in the depth can be visualized. Using the FEM, effects have been investigated so far with the interaction between a single wheel and soft soil. Because of the change of the ground contour due to the dynamical wheel-loads, depending on the vehicle oscillation, the influence from the pitching and vertical oscillating vehicle has to be considered.
Therefore the well-known FEM based simulation concept VENUS is extended to VENUS-DYN (DYNamic VEhicle NatUre Simulation), that includes a two-dimensional model of a complete vehicle interacting with soft ground. The concept VENUS-DYN is established on the commercial FEM program ABAQUS/Explicit. The vehicle model and simulation results with regard to its vertical dynamic behavior, especially the pitching of the vehicle, are presented and discussed in this paper.