Design of a special rigid wheel for traversing loose soil

Abstract

Wheels play an important role in mobile robotics, wheelchairs and vehicles and represent an ideal solution for traversing rigid ground due to higher efficiency. Through traversing loose soil, the rigid wheels lose traction because of sinking and higher slip ratios. Therefore, the study suggests a new rigid wheel with a distinguished perimeter to increase mobility demands to overcome the previous inevitable concerns and clarifies its full detailed design. The lateral undulation locomotion of snakes inspired the author to introduce a new simple and affordable wheel design. The optimum values of the limbless creature movement on the sand are reflected in the geometrical parameters of the wheel, amplitude to wavelength ratio. In addition, the experimental work assessed the traveling performance of the fabricated wheel on the rigid ground and the sandy soil. The attained net traction and slip ratios approach the values of more complicated, expensive and heavier wheels that were used in farming and planetary exploration. Consequently, the wheel enables the wheeled locomotive to do missions on sandy soil with no trouble.