SKID-STEER LOADER IN STEADY-STATE TURNING

Skid-steer loaders are subject to a variety of operating conditions which cause variation in frame forces and fluctuations in traction. This study is an attempt to improve the steering ability and maneuverability of the vehicle. For this purpose special cases are analyzed to describe the effects on the motion of the location of the center of gravity. The behavior of the vehicle under external loads and varying friction coefficient is also considered. The approach based on the proposed mathematical model provides a universal methodology for analytical study of the wheel-ground interaction and eliminates the presently used laborious approaches based on charts and diagrams. The formulation proposed offers a comprehensive description of a vehicle behavior for design application under varying work environment and is suitable for developing of an efficient adaptive control for the vehicle.