Analysis of wheel-soil interaction of rolling wheels with different diameters on a lunar rover

The performance of a lunar rover is significantly affected by the structure of its wheels and their mechanical behavior. To find what structure is best, rigid lunar rover wheels which resist sideslip were developed using a number of different diameters. A modified mathematical model for wheel-soil interaction of these wheels on soft soil was constructed on the basis of shearing and pressure between the soil and the wheels. The relationship between the mechanical properties and structural parameters of the wheels was found by iterative algorithms and their characteristics are discussed. In order to verify the correctness of the mathematical model of the wheels, an experiment was devised based on the compulsory sliding principle proposed by Reece. Results from this experiment are discussed.