Terramechanics Models for Planetary Rover Mobility

Terramechanics models form the analytical and computational backbone for predicting how planetary rovers interact with extraterrestrial soils. Drawing on continuum theories and discrete‐particle simulations, these models describe wheel–soil contact forces, sinkage, traction and slip under variable gravity and terrain conditions. Classical continuum approaches—such as Bekker’s pressure–sinkage relationships and Wong’s terramechanics equations—provide closed‐form solutions for wheel performance metrics, while Mohr–Coulomb failure criteria characterise shear strength in regolith analogues. More recently, multibody dynamics frameworks incorporate deformable terrain contacts and detailed geometry, enabling realistic simulation of rocker–bogie suspensions and grousers. Complementing these, discrete element methods resolve individual grain interactions to reveal microscale mechanisms of soil failure, particle rearrangement and resistive torque. Parameter‐identification algorithms link sensor measurements (e.g. drawbar pull, slip and motion states) to soil properties in real time, thereby supporting adaptive control and hazard mitigation. By integrating terramechanics models with path‐planning and control strategies, mission designers enhance rover traversability, energy efficiency and wheel lifetime, ensuring reliable exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.

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Research from all publishers

Recent work on single‐wheel performance has employed discrete element method simulations paired with laboratory experiments to evaluate traction and sinkage of a small rover wheel under Earth and lunar gravity analogues. These studies calibrate soil parameters through measurements of angle of repose and validate simulation outputs against tests in Toyoura sand and lunar regolith simulants, demonstrating reliable prediction of traction coefficients across slip ranges and gravity levels. Data‐driven slip‐estimation models for China’s Zhurong rover use back‐propagation and genetic‐algorithm‐enhanced neural networks trained on low‐gravity simulation tests. The resulting predictors accurately estimate longitudinal and lateral slip, informing path correction and wheel‐terrain control. Foundational algorithms for soil parameter identification employ approximated terramechanics models and iterative solvers to infer pressure–sinkage and shear parameters from limited sensor data, enabling real‐time drawbar pull prediction and traversability assessment in unknown environments.

Terramechanics Models for Planetary Rover Mobility publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in terramechanics models for planetary rover mobility across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Terramechanics: The study of interactions between vehicles and deformable terrain, encompassing force, deformation and energy transfer mechanisms.

Discrete Element Method: A numerical technique that models soil as an assembly of individual particles to simulate contact, friction and failure at the grain scale.

Slip ratio: The relative difference between wheel circumferential speed and actual translational velocity, expressed as a percentage.

Sinkage: The vertical penetration of a wheel or track into soft terrain, governed by soil stiffness and wheel load.

Drawbar pull: The tractive force available at the wheel–terrain interface, used as a measure of vehicle traction capability.

References

1. Slip Estimation for Mars Rover Zhurong Based on Data Drive. Applied Sciences (2022).
2. Soil Parameter Identification and Driving Force Prediction for Wheel-Terrain Interaction. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems (2008).
3. Grousers Effect in Tracked Vehicle Multibody Dynamics with Deformable Terrain Contact Model. Applied Sciences (2020).