FEM and DEM simulations of tire-soil and drill-soil interactions in off-road conditions for mechanical design validation of a space exploration rover

Abstract

With the increasing development of computational sciences in aerospace technologies, numerical methods have become a useful tool for engineering researchers. Tractive performance studies and soil-tool interactions analysis have been widely favored by the finite element method (FEM) and the discrete element method (DEM). In order to validate the current design of a tire tread and drill for its use in a space exploration rover named "Pachacutec", a research has been conducted by Kamayuc Team in the Smart Machines Laboratory at Universidad Nacional de Ingenieriá. The research consisted in characterize a granular terrain to simulate tire-soil and drill-soil interactions in off-road conditions using DEM and FEM models. Parameters such as tractive force, axial load and terrain compaction were analyzed to predict both tire and drill real performance. The results shows that the tire tread was able to provide the necessary traction for the movement and stability of the rover. In addition, the material assigned to the drill resulted in a high mechanical strength, ensuring its safe operation. To develop a further work, the authors suggest to recollect Martian regolith simulant from a Mars Analog and reproduce the same methodology proposed in this study to validate the mechanical design in these conditions.