Path tracking control of tracked vehicles

Abstract

A path tracking control algorithm for tracked surface drilling machines is presented. The general dynamic model of such vehicle is simulated including track-soil interactions. The controller is based on feedback linearization of the equations with feedforward friction compensation. It linearizes the complex force-slip relationship to relate the states of the system to the inputs. The controller based on simplified models is applied to the detailed simulated model of the vehicle. The result is an accurate control of the lateral offset and forward velocity error along a path.