EFFECTS OF LOADING PATTERNS ON THE PRESSURE-SINKAGE RELATION OF DRY LOOSE SAND

The pressure-sinkage relation of dry loose sand is one of the main pro blems considered for a vehicle to drive in desert. It is affected by l oading patterns. Based on plate-sinkage tests, the effects of two diff erent loading patterns on the pressure-sinkage relation of dry loose s and are studied. One is that the plate is horizontal with the angle of load relative to the plate normal varying from 0 to 30 degrees. The o ther is that the load is perpendicular to the plate with the angle of the plate relative to sand surface varying from 0 to 30 degrees. The r esults indicate that the pressure-sinkage relations of dry loose sand in both the above mentioned cases are different from that in the horiz ontal plate-vertical load case and that if the sinkage-pressure relati on under the horizontal plate-inclined load case is used to determine the normal stress distribution under the tire, a precise prediction of the tractive properties of a wheel can be obtained. Copyright (C) 199 6