Numerical simulation of tire steering on sandy soil based on discrete element method

The steering performance of off-road tires on sandy soil has a great influence on the maneuverability of the vehicle, which has long been studied by scholars. However, the discrete element method (DEM) modeling of tire steering on sand is still lacking. In this paper, an off-road tire steering model on sandy soil is established by using the discrete element method, and the parameters of the sandy soil model are calibrated based on the triaxial compression test and inclined plate experiment. Then, the parameters of the sandy soil model are verified by the reduced-scale single wheel soil bin test under a straight-driving condition. Finally, the influence of the steering radius, roll angle, roll angle, and slip rate on the tire steering process is studied. The results show that a reduction in the steering radius has a slight influence on the drawbar pull and driving torque but a greater influence on the growth of the lateral force, the aligning torque, and the reduction in sinkage. The slip rate and sideslip angle play an important role in drawbar pull, drive torque, lateral force, and torque. The roll angle has a small influence on the drawbar pull and driving torque but a greater influence on the lateral force and the aligning torque.