High-Fidelity Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Planetary Rovers Using Single-Input-Multi-Output Joints With Terrain Property Mapping

Planetary rovers may traverse terrains with complex geometries and variable physical properties, but their mobility behaviors are complicated and difficult to simulate precisely. This article focuses on high-fidelity dynamic modeling and simulation for a type of rovers that incorporate single-input-multi-output joints to enhance terrain adaptability, which has been used on China's Tianwen-1 Mars rover. A novel multibody dynamic model and its solutions are derived first with consideration of single-input-multi-output joints. Then, a unified terramechanics model is proposed, considering variable terrain surfaces and covering rover's motion states of skidding, slipping, and steering, solved the problem of simulation instability caused by model switching between soft and hard terrains. As the contact areas of wheels with various terrains and resultant sinkage are dominant factors to ensure fidelity but difficult to determine, a new terrain modeling method for calculating contact area and wheel sinkage is developed using digital elevation map with physical properties. A simulation system is developed, integrating all the above models, and verified with physical experiments and commercial software. The relative simulation errors that have been achieved are less than 5.9% for bogie angles, 6.1% for drawbar pull, and 3.4% for slip ratios, demonstrating high fidelity simulation results.