Modeling wheel loader-soil interaction using Chrono::Engine and DEM
As part of a research collaboration between Komatsu and the Simulation-Based Engineering Lab (SBEL) at UW–Madison, I am working on high-fidelity simulation of wheel loader digging operations using Chrono::Engine with a Discrete Element Method (DEM) terrain model.
The goal is to simulate realistic soil-tool interaction and evaluate loader performance for design, control, and automation applications.
Key Contributions
Vehicle Modeling: I help build a rigid-body model of a wheel loader using Chrono’s MBD engine, including articulated steering, hydraulic lift arms, and bucket mechanisms.
DEM Terrain Setup: I configure large-scale granular terrain beds using DEM-E, representing soil as spherical particles with calibrated contact properties.
Loader-Soil Interaction: I simulate digging operations with a moving bucket interacting with DEM terrain, tracking forces, torques, and resistance profiles.
Simulation Automation: I create scripts for running automated dig cycles under varied approach angles, depths, and bucket trajectories.
Performance Metrics & Visualization: I log penetration forces, soil flow, and loading efficiency, and visualize the simulations with terrain deformation and particle flow fields.
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Left: Image of a Loader. Right: Soil particle deformation and interaction visualized during the digging phase.
This project strengthens my experience in physics-based simulation, granular material modeling, and the development of tools for off-road automation and heavy equipment performance evaluation.
