Ground Pressure Measurement System Paper

Abstract

An important constraint upon the design of unmanned demining vehicles is the pressure they exert on the ground. To provide for the safety of the expensive equipment carried, vehicles designed to detect land mines must disturb the ground in a mine field as little as possible. Currently vehicle designs concentrate on properly integrating sensors onto a vehicle, paying less attention to whether the vehicles are appropriate concerning safety. This paper/presentation will describe a ground pressure measurement device which measures ground pressure as experienced by a land mine. Inside a rugged case similar an anti-tank mine, the device accurately measures pressures exerted by a vehicle which could detonate a mine. The device, with a wide pressure range and its sealed case, can be used under a wide variety of conditions. The tests performed to validate the device will be described, and a theoretical analysis of the results using terramechanics will be given. Finally, possible usage of this device will be given, including its applicability in the vehicle design process as well as possible usage as a training device.