Interactive Earthmoving Simulation in Real-time

Virtual Reality simulators of heavy machinery are often used for training purposes. However, the complexity of terrain as a dynamical system makes the simulation of earthmoving machinery an specially challenging problem. In this paper, the architecture of an excavator simulator is described, together with the different models used to describe the behavior of the systems involved. Special attention is paid to soil dynamics and to the interaction models, including soil-wheel interaction and soil-tool interaction. The different models used are physically-based, in order to guarantee a realistic simulation and an appropriate force feedback.