Hilly and mountainous areas are critical regions for orchard cultivation in China.Due to harsh planting environment and dense foliage in these orchards,operational quality of large-and-middle-sized tracked power chassis systems is severely compromised.Addressing common issues such as poor maneuverability and inadequate obstacle clearance capabilities,a small-scale tracked power chassis was designed specifically adapted for complex environments of hillside orchards.This chassis boasted strong climbing abilities and excellent obstacle clearance,allowing for flexible operation in orchard rows with a spacing of 1.2 meters.Using multi-body dynamics software RecurDyn,a dynamic model of tracked chassis was developed.Simulations were performed to analyze its performance in straight-line motion,climbing,and obstacle clearance on both hard and soft terrains.Results indicated that chassis'passability and adaptability met operational requirements.This study could provide theoretical support and a reference for design of small-scale tracked power chassis in hilly orchard areas.
hills and mountainstracked power chassisstructural designRecurDynsimulation analysis