Track Tension Controller Design and Experimental Evaluation in Tracked Vehicles

Track tension is closely related to the maneuverability of tracked vehicles and the durability of their tracks and suspension systems. The tension needs to be maintained at an optimum level throughout the maneuver in order to minimize the excessive load on the tracks and to prevent track peeloff from the sprocket. In this paper, a track tension control system is developed for tracked vehicles which are subject to various maneuvering tasks. It consists of track tension estimator, track tension controller, and hydraulic unit. The tension around the idler and sprocket is estimated in real time, respectively. Using the estimated track tension and considering the highly nonlinear vehicle characteristics, a fuzzy logic controller is designed in order to control the track tension in the vehicles. The performance of the proposed tension control system is verified through simulation and experimental field tests.