Traction Limits for Tracked Vehicles Crawling the Sea Bottom

Abstract

State-of-the-art methods in regular use for the calculation of the maximum soil-limited net traction of tracked vehicles ashore are briefed. A few simple caveats in applying these to similar vehicles crawling on the sea floor are suggested. Results of limited preliminary tests with a small single-tracked machine in submerged natural silty sand, with supporting in situ soil strength measurements, are presented and commented in context.