Analysis of soil compaction and tire mobility with finite element method

Soil compaction, as a form of soil degradation, accounts for the increase of soil strength and the reduction of soil production capability. Two finite element tire models were developed based on the real geometry and structure of a Bridgestone bias tire. With a single wheel tester, field experiments were performed to validate the finite element tire-soil interaction models. The influence of axle load and inflation pressure on the soil compaction was studied with a finite element tire model using coarse meshes, which improves the computation efficiency without degrading the simulation accuracy. Tire mobility such as drawbar pull, rolling resistance and lateral force generated inside the tire-soil contact patch is an important index for the performance of off-road vehicles. The relationship between the slip ratio, the slip angle and the tire mobility was investigated through the simulations carried out with the other finite element tire model using fine meshes.