Path planning and evaluation based on wheel slip dynamics

On loose soil, the wheel slippage which will make the rover get stuck must be concerned. Since the slippage dynamically depends on the posture/velocity of vehicle, soil characteristics, and wheel-soil interactions, it becomes difficult issues to incorporate the wheel slip dynamics as a criterion into path-planning algorithms.

To tackle the slippage problem, we have developed the path-planning algorithm and the path-evaluation method based on the following approach.
(1) first, a candidate path on a rough terrain is generated with a kinematic-based criteria function.
(2) subsequently, the dynamics simulation of a rover is carried out in which the rover is controlled to follow the candidate path. Here, dynamics simulation model and path following control are employed.
(3) the candidate path is properly evaluated based on a dynamic-based evaluation function, which includes slip motion profiles and time histories of vehicle postures calculated by the simulation.

The optimal path minimizing the evaluation function can be found from several candidate paths by conducting the above steps from (1) to (3).
(The following figures are clickable.)

Path generation

Path evaluation with dynamics simulation (4.9MB)

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