Verification and Fidelity of High Mobility Tracked Vehicle Dynamic Models

A broad range of vehicle dynamic models exists for predicting tracked vehicle dynamic performance. This range begins with the point mass models embedded in automotive performance simulations that are more focused on powertrain performance, to commercial rigid body dynamics codes that model the individual track blocks and the detailed contact interactions of the drive lugs and wheel guides. Between these extremes are well known modeling tools such as the NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM) vehicle dynamics (VEHDYN) module and several commercial and custom purpose-driven modeling tools. The fidelity of these models can be roughly categorized from their theoretical basis, but others, such as the various means of representing track require numerical experiments. This paper presents some standard verification tests and results that help quantify the fidelity levels of these models.