Multibody Dynamics Modeling of a Continuous Rubber Track System: Part 1—Model Description

Continuous rubber track systems for farming applications are typically designed using multiple iterations on full-scale physical prototypes which is costly and time consuming. The development of numerical design tools could speed up the design process and reduce development costs while improving product performance. In this article, a rigid multibody dynamics (MBD) model of a continuous rubber track system is presented. This article is the first part of a two-part study: Part 1 focuses on the model description and part 2 describes the experimental evaluation of the MBD model. The modeling methodology is based on a track discretization as a set of rigid body elements interconnected by 6 degrees-of-freedom bushing joints. The mathematical formalism and experimental characterization of all critical subsystems such as the roller wheels, tensioner, suspensions, and contact models are also presented. Several simulation results are presented to illustrate the capability of MBD models in design activities to rapidly evaluate new concepts as a result of the relative short-solving time of the model (approximately 3 h). The MBD model is shown to be a powerful design tool to provide input boundary conditions for structural analysis or as a design space explorer and optimization tool.