METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES OF DETERMINING PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF WHEELED MILITARY AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT WHILE MOVING ON SNOWY BEARING SURFACES

Abstract

The comparative analysis of the known researches and approaches to the assessment of all-wheel drive vehicles terrain crossing capacity in the conditions of moving on snow-covered bearing surfaces (BS) is carried out. The analysis shows that domestic approaches are based on traditional USSR principles that are different from those adopted in NATO countries in terms of indicators and evaluation criteria. In addition, an analysis of the geographical conditions and road and climatic zones of Ukraine regarding application of wheeled military automotive equipment (MAE) allows to confirm that much of the territory of Ukraine in winter is absolutely snow-covered. Under such conditions, when considering the perspective parameters of wheeled MAE for assessing terrain crossing capacity under snow covered traffic conditions, it is necessary to take into account this factor. Snow is a special kind of BS for military automotive equipment with two-order physical-mechanical variations and corresponding transitions from running to cohesive type of BS. Therefore, mobility and performance of wheeled MAE has some unique characteristics and terminology. Wheeled MAE movement on snow-covered surfaces is related to the thickness of the snow cover and depends on the depth of the formed track, which is a function of snow compaction and shear strength in response to vehicle loads. Besides, the basic empirical dependences of the motor resistance forces and tire coupling with the BS are significantly different from those applied for soil and sand BSs. The comparative analysis provided may be the basis for the formation of a national regulatory framework for assessing terrain crossing capacity of wheeled MAE, taking into account the requirements for compatibility of domestic approaches with those adopted in NATO countries.