REKEM-A design-oriented simulation program for off-road track vehicle

A design-oriented computer program, called REKEM, was developed for off-road track vehicle simulation. The equations of motion were formulated using the Lagrange approach and created automatically by a symbolic program. The model includes the detailed design and features of all suspension components, track tension, soil-track interaction, rolling resistance and soil energy dissipation. A sixth-order Runge-Kutta integration method and variable time steps were used for the solution. The output of the program includes numerical and graphical options, as well as animation of ride simulation. The simulation program is oriented for detailed design and analysis of the suspension system and for ride comfort evaluation. One of the main features of the program is the easy implementation of new suspension elements and track-soil-wheel interaction models. The source code of the model is concise in shape and size, and can be operated on work stations and personal computers with a mathematical co-processor as well. An example of ride simulation demonstrates some of the design features of the simulation model.