Hydrostatics on Vehicles - Controlling and Sizing for Productivity

The paper contributes to the analysis of hydrostatic vehicles looking at controlling and sizing aspects in terms of productivity goals. Three significant stages are developed: (1) an open circuit hydrostatic transmission model with a variable displacement pump actuating two fixed displacement motors; (2) a tracked vehicle locomotion model interfacing transmission and soil characteristics; (3) a comprehensive evaluation of the system behaviour based on the “overall productivity efficiency”. Productivity concepts are considered as useful yardsticks to decide on optimal sizing and controls of transmission and vehicle components under specific constraints. Computational case-studies, based on a conversational program, are described to illustrate applications and potentials of this approach.