Terramechanics Around the World

Celebrating Fifty Years of ISTVS, 1962-2012

At the 50th anniversary conference in Blacksburg, Virginia, 2011, special sessions were concluded with incoming president Dr. Sally Shoop presenting (video) our 50th anniversary ISTVS memory book, edited by Dr. Péter Kiss and Dr. Shoop.

Terramechanics Around the World: 50 Years of ISTVS

Special 50th anniversary sessions were filled with memories and history of the field of terramechanics and ISTVS. Our thanks to our distinguished speakers for their efforts in making this a memorable event:

• Professor Itzhak "Shmilo" Shmulevich, on Terramechanics R&D Activity in Israel (video)
• Professor Keiji Watanabe, on ISTVS in the Asia-Pacific Area and a special update: intelligent vehicle proved in nuclear accident, Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster, 11 March 2011 (video)
• Professor Zoltàn Janosi, Early days of the ISTVS and the Land Locomotion Lab (presentation)
• General (Ret.) Günther Hohl, on 1984 Vienna European Conference and History of Terrain-Vehicle Systems from Ancient Times to Today (video)
• Dr. George Mason, on WES Mobility Systems and the ISTVS, Past, Present, Future (video)

If you weren’t able to join us in Blacksburg, you can order copies of our memory book for yourself and your organization’s library from us, use the link on the right.

More about the book

The birth of the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems happened with the first International Conference on the Mechanics of Soil-Vehicle Systems in 1961 at Turin, Italy, and the Society formed in 1962. 2011 marked the fiftieth anniversary of our society.

The history book published during the 50th year traces the road map that the Society has traversed during this period. During these “fifty years” humans have left their mark on the lunar surface, and unmanned probes have arrived on other planets in the solar system. Information is now transmitted from the satellites to follow the accurate movements of people, vehicles, and ships while they fly, drive, and sail across the skies, the surface, and the oceans of the world through the Global Positioning System.

The ISTVS has also contributed greatly to the development of off-the-road vehicles and soil working machines over the past fifty years. Current vehicles and machines are equipped with many unique functions and show amazing potential. These vehicles and machines have performed important roles in building society and enriching human lives. The ISTVS group has undoubtedly contributed to the development of this human society.

Beside the history of the ISTVS, the readers will find history of the U.S. Mobility Research including the following:

• Land Locomotion Laboratory, Detroit, Michigan
• A brief history of Ground Vehicle Mobility, Modeling, and Simulation at TACOM-TARDEC
• National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, USDA-ARS
• History of Waterways Experiment Station Mobility Research including Mobility Model Development
• U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory
• Keweenaw Research Center – Snow Ice Permafrost Research Establishment
• Nevada Automotive Test Center

Readers will find many historical photographs going back to the basic developments in terrain vehicle mobility, traction, and soil-machinery developments.

This is an excellent technical history book for engineers and scientists interested in achievements of the ISTVS and following the origin and developments in terrain-machine systems.