The ISTVS welcomes you to a free digital event series — alternating informal student-led research seminars and terramechanics bites by established researchers.

The events are generally on Wednesdays at a time chosen to make it possible for all international colleagues to attend. Links to recordings of the events will be sent so register whether or not you’re sure you can attend.

Use the registration links to sign up. Our event platform is Hopin: you’ll be asked to create an account which you can use for all events in this digital series.

Series Playlist » Vimeo | YouTube

July 7 | Student Research Seminar » View recording
Graduate Researchers, Vehicle Dynamics Group
University of Pretoria
The use of semi-active suspension control to create and improve upon ADAS systems for SUVs
Nathan Mills | Minimising the ride-comfort vs. handling compromise while preventing rollover
Bongani Zulu | Rollover prevention and handling improvement by using load transfer on rough terrain
Wynand Esterhuizen | Minimising braking distance with ABS on several undulating terrains

July 14 | Terramechanics Bite » View recording
Dr. Alex Keen, ISTVS UK National Secretary and Editor-in-Chief of the ISTVS Resource Initiative
Terramechanics and Climate Change, with Particular Reference to the UK
A review of the climate change problem to consider aspects of terramechanics that can link to parts of the solution and promote discussion

July 21 | Student Research Seminar — Open Conversation » View recording
Mohit Shenvi, graduate student, TMVSL, Virginia Tech
Andries Peenze, graduate student, VDG, University of Pretoria

Ray Kruger

August 4 | Student Research Seminar » View recording
Ray Kruger, Graduate Researcher
Factors that influence bevameter terrain parameter identification
Vehicle Dynamics Group, University of Pretoria

August 11 | Terramechanics Bite » View recording
Professor Schalk Els, Vehicle Dynamics Group
Off-Road Vehicle Dynamics

August 25 | Terrabite » View recording
Dr. Lutz Richter, ISTVS 1st Vice President
Terramechanics models for lunar and planetary rovers

September 1 | Student Research Seminar » View recording
Mohit Shenvi | Graduate Researcher
Terramechanics, Multibody, and Vehicle Systems Laboratory, Virginia Tech
Andries Peenze | Graduate Researcher
Vehicle Dynamics Group, University of Pretoria

September 8 | Terramechanics Bite » View recording
Dr. Mehari Tekeste | Soil Machine Dynamics Lab
Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University

At this ISTVS digital seminar, Dr. Tekeste will introduce the newly established Soil Machine Dynamics Laboratory at lowa State University and the capability of SMDL's state-of-the-art testing equipment.
The soil machine dynamics research group of Dr. Tekeste's lab at lowa State University supports research programs on soil compaction, traction, and tillage for off-road equipment design, performance analysis, and simulation modeling related to mobility systems, ground engaging tools (GETs), and low-stress abrasive GETs wear research. The SMDL consists of this equipment: a single-tire mobility soil bin, GETs soil bin, and circular wear testing bin.

~ joined by ~
Elnaz Ebrahimi-Mollabashi
Postdoctoral associate
Pius Jjagwe | Nisreen Alkhalifa | Jong-Myung Noh | Saeth Sanchez
Graduate students

September 15 | Student Research Seminar » View recording
Shashank Agarwal | graduate researcher
Kamrin Group | MechE | MIT
Reduced-order modeling of granular intrusions with continuum and empirical approaches

Granular intrusions such as vehicular and animal locomotion in deserts and natural terrains are common in natural and human-made scenarios. The field of ‘terramechanics’ uses numerous established methods for the performance evaluation of such systems. But such methods have limited performance in modeling complex intruder motions such as animal locomotion. In recent years, a variety of new continuum and empirical modeling methods have shown great potential to efficiently model such systems. In this talk, we will discuss the applicability and efficacy of continuum modeling methods in studying diverse granular intrusions. We will also discuss granular resistive force theory (RFT), a continuously evolving method for evaluation of forces on arbitrary objects moving arbitrarily in natural terrains in real-time.

October 13 | Terramechanics Bite » View recording
Dr. José E. Andrade | CalTech
Data-Driven Models for Terramechanics Simulations
George W. Housner Professor of Civil and Mechanical Engineering; Cecil and Sally Drinkward Leadership Chair, Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering; Executive Officer for Mechanical and Civil Engineering

Complex Systems Modeling Group (COSYMO)
Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, California Institute of Technology (CalTech)

Professor Andrade's research focuses on developing a fundamental understanding of the multiscale and multiphysical behaviors of porous materials—everything from soils, rocks, and concrete to bone. He also studies the behavior of granular materials like sand, snow, and even grain stored in silos. His research has particular applications to geologic and engineering infrastructure materials, as well as to the petroleum industry.

In this talk, we will explore new paradigms for modeling continuum mechanics problems (e.g., mobility) using non-local approaches that completely bypass the need for ad-hoc constitutive descriptions. Instead, we rely on a data-driven approach that relies on physics-based virtual experiments that are able to furnish data on demand. We show that the new approach is predictive and avoids phenomenological assumptions by relying on the data, all the data and nothing but the data.

October 20 | Student Research Seminar » View recording
Addison Black | Undergraduate researcher
Mississippi State University
Lightweighting Vehicles with Carbon Fiber Composite Parts

An introduction to the design and manufacture of carbon fiber composite parts and their impact on vehicular weight reduction.

October 28 | Terramechanics Bite » View recording
Dr. Corina Sandu
Experimental and Modeling Aspects of Pneumatic Tire Performance on Soft Soil and Icy Roads

This presentation will give an overview of the challenges related to mobility and performance of vehicles in difficult off- and on-road conditions, such as soft soil or icy roads. The material covered is relevant and applicable to manned and unmanned vehicles. Such studies focus on the evaluation of the vehicle, tires, and operating environment as one interconnected system. A good understanding of the specific terrain characteristics is needed, as well as of the running gear of the vehicle and of their interaction with the terrain. The first part of the talk is dedicated to the description of the indoor testing facility developed in Dr. Sandu’s group, the Terramechanics Rig, at Virginia Tech. This test rig produces repeatable results for pneumatic tires or metal wheels on sand, soil, ice, or other type of surface. The second part of the presentation covers a few illustrative experimental investigations for the performance of pneumatic tires on sandy loam and on ice, as well as some related modeling aspects.

Dr. Corina Sandu is Robert E. Hord Jr. Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Virginia Tech, Associate Department Head for Graduate Studies, and Director of the Terramechanics, Multibody, and Vehicle Systems (TMVS) Laboratory. Before joining Virginia Tech in 2003, Dr. Sandu worked at Michigan Tech for three years.

She graduated with an Engineer Diploma in Mechanics from the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest, Romania (1991), and M.S. (1995) and Ph.D. (2000) degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iowa, U.S.A.

Dr. Sandu’s research expertise lies in terramechanics (vehicle-terrain interaction, tire/track modeling, vehicle mobility, soil/terrain modeling), multibody dynamics (modeling, simulation, uncertainty quantification, parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, design optimization), and vehicle dynamics (suspension, handling, ride, performance).

Dr. Sandu is ASME Fellow, SAE Fellow, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow. She published 86 journal papers, 120 proceedings papers, 10 book chapters, and (co)authored over 322 other papers, reports, posters, and presentations. She led or participated in numerous funded research projects of over $12.6 million, with her own share of $4 million, from NSF, NASA, ARC, CenTiRe, Goodyear, Caterpillar, Sumitomo, and others.

She advised 18 Ph.D. and 22 M.S. students and is currently advising 8 PhD students and 2 M.S. students. She is the Editor-in-Chief of SAE International Journal of Commercial Vehicles, Vice-chair of the SAE International Journals Editors’ committee, and Chair of the SAE Fellow Committee. She served as Chair of the SAE Chassis Design and Vehicle Dynamics (CDVD) committee and is past recipient of SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award (2007), SAE EMB Outstanding Oral Presentation Award (2007), SAE Forest R. McFarland Award (2013 and 2019), and Rodica Baranescu Award for Technical and Leadership Excellence in Commercial Vehicles Engineering (2013).

She gave keynote lectures at CAR, Romania (2017); IMSD, Canada (2016); CONAT, Romania (2016); and CIFAVT, China (2012). She is past Chair of the ASME Design Engineering Division (DED) and past Chair of the ASME Vehicle Design Committee (VDC).

Dr. Sandu is the President of the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems and an Editorial Board member of the Journal of Terramechanics. She is also Editor-in-Chief of the Mechanics Based Design of Structures and Machines; An International Journal, and Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Autonomous Vehicle Systems (JAVS). She received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service (2012 and 2020).

November 3 | Student Research Seminar » View recording
Virginia Tech | Graduate Researchers
Mohit Shenvi, Jyotirmoy Mukherjee, Yogesh Surkutwar,
Hannah White, Varsha Swamy, and colleagues

In this ISTVS Student Research Seminar, graduate student researchers in the Terramechanics, Multibody, and Vehicle Systems Laboratory at Virginia Tech will discuss their current research including terramechanics, FEA, and terrain sensing and parameterization.

November 17 | Terramechanics Bite » View recording
Journal of Terramechanics: Meet Editors and Editorial Advisory Board on Journal Directions and Plans
David Gorsich and Vladimir Vantsevich, Editors-in-Chief
Editors: P Schalk Els, Ramon Gonzalez, Genya Ishigami, Jody Priddy, Mehari Tekeste, Thomas Way

Welcome to this interactive discussion with the Editors and Members of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Terramechanics. We’ll discuss the status and metrics of the Journal, its updated scope, aim, and new technical areas.

All potential authors and readers, ISTVS members, and non-members are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion.

Ground vehicle propulsion mechanisms vary greatly across unmanned platforms. Each offers different advantages from weight savings to soft soil performance to simplicity. Perhaps by combining two or more of these forms in a reconfigurable manner, the benefits of each can be utilized. This talk explores definitions and quantifiable metrics for reconfigurability with special attention to the effects on mobility and complexity.