Related papers: Using high-fidelity discrete element simulation to…
This thesis presents a unified modeling and simulation framework for analyzing sidewinding and tumbling locomotion of the COBRA snake robot across rigid, compliant, and granular terrains. A contact-implicit formulation is used to model…
While simulation is vital for optimizing robotic systems, the cost of modeling deformable terrain has long limited its use in full-vehicle studies of off-road autonomous mobility. For example, Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations are…
A multiscale model for real-time simulation of terrain dynamics is explored. To represent the dynamics on different scales the model combines the description of soil as a continuous solid, as distinct particles and as rigid multibodies. The…
Capturing the interaction between objects that have an extreme difference in Young s modulus or geometrical scale is a highly challenging topic for numerical simulation. One of the fundamental questions is how to build an accurate…
In this work, a terrain estimation framework is developed for autonomous vehicles operating on deformable terrains. Previous work in this area usually relies on steady state tire operation, linearized classical terramechanics models, or on…
This article presents a new force model for performing quantitative simulations of dense granular materials. Interactions between multiple contacts (MC) on the same grain are explicitly taken into account. Our readily applicable method…
Development of applications related to closed-loop control requires either testing on the field or on a realistic simulator, with the latter being more convenient, inexpensive, safe, and leading to shorter development cycles. To address…
This paper discusses Chrono's Continuous Representation Model (called herein Chrono::CRM), a general-purpose, scalable, and efficient simulation solution for terramechanics problems. Built on Chrono's Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH)…
Development of algorithms and growth of computational resources in the past decades have enabled simulations of sediment transport processes with unprecedented fidelities. The Computational Fluid Dynamics--Discrete Element Method (CFD--DEM)…
Damping of structures and systems is often dominated by frictional dissipation in connections, the prediction of which remains a longstanding scientific challenge. Previous studies have shown that the actual topography of contact interfaces…
High-fidelity simulators for the lunar surface provide a digital environment for extensive testing of rover operations and mission planning. However, current simulators focus on either visual realism or physical accuracy, which limits their…
In this paper, the surface of revolution discrete element method (SR-DEM) is introduced to simulate systems of particles with closed surfaces of revolution. Due to the cylindrical symmetry of a surface of revolution, the geometry of any…
Robot mobility is critical for mission success, especially in soft or deformable terrains, where the complex wheel-soil interaction mechanics often leads to excessive wheel slip and sinkage, causing the eventual mission failure. To improve…
We present a collision model for phase-resolved Direct Numerical Simulations of sediment transport that couple the fluid and particles by the Immersed Boundary Method. Typically, a contact model for these types of simulations comprises a…
Simulation of vehicle motion in planetary environments is challenging. This is due to the modeling of complex terrain, optical conditions, and terrain-aware vehicle dynamics. One of the critical issues of typical simulators is that they…
The XDEM multi-physics and multi-scale simulation platform roots in the Ex- tended Discrete Element Method (XDEM) and is being developed at the In- stitute of Computational Engineering at the University of Luxembourg. The platform is an…
In this paper, we develop estimation and control methods for quickly reacting to collisions between omnidirectional mobile platforms and their environment. To enable the full-body detection of external forces, we use torque sensors located…
In recent years, computer simulators of rigid-body systems have been successfully used to improve and expand the field of developing new space robots, becoming a leading tool for the preliminary investigation and evaluation of space robotic…
Simulations of vehicle/track interaction (VTI) in switches and crossings (S\&C) require taking into account the complexity of their geometry. The VTI can be handled via a co-simulation process between a finite element (FE) model of the…
The linear-frictional contact model is the most commonly used contact mechanism for discrete element (DEM) simulations of granular materials. Linear springs with a frictional slider are used for modeling interactions in directions normal…