analysis of off-road performance for a tracked vehicle

suspension system is one of the most important factors in provision of ride comfort and dynamic stability in any vehicle. meanwhile the suspension systems of tracked vehicles, due to their continuous track, have particular specification in comparison with other vehicles. this specification causes tracked vehicles having an improved dynamic stability in off-road maneuvers compared to vehicles with discrete tiers, the issue which is analyzed and investigated in this article. first the mathematical model of a tracked vehicle suspension system with governing dynamic equations and the complete state-space model are represented. then off-road inputs such as hill inputs, passing through belgian block trapezoidal bump and irregular terrain are applied to the dynamic model and the system outputs, especially body hull vertical acceleration as one of the most important criteria of stability, are reviewed. the results show that the responses are in range of acceptable overshoot and there suggest the related critical speed of the vehicle. furthermore, for model validation the results are compared with acmp reference model using standard off-road inputs; and the deviations are trivial that approves the validation.