Dr.

B Dayal

Dr. B Dayal

THEORY OF TANK TURNING

The turning of tank involves significant
increase in ground resistance. Due to
deformation of ground both in vertical and
horizontal planes.
Engine power requirement increases
considerably.
Average speed of the tank is affected
significantly.
Considers the kinematics and external
forces resisting tank turning under various
conditions.

KINEMATICS OF THE BEARING

SURFACES OF TRACKS AND TANK,
FORCES AND GROUND RESISTANCE
MOMENT IN TURNING
Relation of kinetic values during tank turning.
Absolute speed of any point of the track chain is equal to:
Vabs = vr +vt
Where, vr track speed in relative to the tank
Vt speed of tank
Assuming that there is no sliding or skidding of the bearing
surfaces of the track, vr = vt ,
thus, vabs = 0
The speed of the tank during turning will be:
= v2/r = v1/(r b) = (v2 v1)/b
The point o2 and o1 are referred as the turning poles of the
bearing surfaces or the instant rotation centre. Their
absolute speed is zero since
v2 = v2r and v1 = v1r.

Speeds of different points

of the track chain

KINEMATICS OF TANK AND

TRACK BEARING SURFACE

ABSOLUTE SPEED OF POINT K

ON SLOWER MOVING TRACK

KINEMATICS OF ACTUAL TANK

TURNING

KINEMATICS OF THE BEARING

SURFACES OF TRACKS AND TANK
UNDER THE REAL CONDITIONS OF TURNING, WHEN THE
THE TRACTION FORCES REQUIRED FOR ENSURING THE
TANK MOTION ARE REALISED, THE FASTER MOVING
TRACK SLIDES AND THE SLOWER MOVING TRACK SKIDS.
DUE TO SLIDING OF FASTER MOVING TRACK, THE
TRANSIENT SPEED OF POINT O2 DECREASES AND
BECOMES V2.
DUE TO SKIDDING OF SLOWER MOVING TRACK, THE
SPEED OF O1, INCREASES UPTO V1
THE VALUES OF V1R AND V2R REMAIN UNCHANGED.
ACTUAL TURNING RADIUS INCREASES. AND DEPENDS
UPON L/B RATIO, CALLED AS STEERABILITY RATIO.
ACTUAL ANGULAR SPEED DECREASES.
THE ABSOLUTE SPEED OF POINTS O1 AND O2 WILL NOT
BE EQUAL TO ZERO. THUS, THESE POINTS WILL NOT BE
THE TURNING POLES OF THE TRACK BEARING SURFACE.

KINEMATICS OF THE BEARING

SURFACES OF TRACKS AND TANK
THE ABSOLUTE SPEED OF POINT O2 WILL BE DIRECTED

OPPOSITE TO THE TANK MOTION AND WILL BE:

V2abs = V2r V2
V2r RELATIVE SPEED OF
FASTER MOVING TRACK
WITH NO SKIDING.
THE ABSOLUTE SPEED OF POINT O1 WILL BE DIRECTED
ALONG THE TANK MOTION AND WILL BE:
V1abs = V1 V1r
WHERE,
V2abs SLIDING SPEED OF FASTER
MOVING TRACK.
V1abs SKIDDING SPEED OF SLOWER
MOVING TRACK.
THE TURNING POLES WILL BE IN POINTS O2 AND O1 , AT
A DISTANCE y2 AND y1 THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF THE
RESPECTIVE TRACKS.
THE ANGULAR SPEED OF TANK TURNING IN ABOVE

KINEMATICS OF THE BEARING

SURFACES OF TRACKS AND TANK

= V2/R = V1/ (R B) = (V2

V1)/B = V1abs/y1 = V2abs/y2
ON THE BASIS OF TEST DATA
FOR DRY GROUND:
R = (1.3 TO 1.8)R
ON WET SLIPPERY GROUND R
INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY.

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
WE SHALL ANALYSE THE POWER AND KINEMATIC VALUES
UNDER ABOVE CONDITIONS
ASSUMPTIONS:
TANK IS TURNING AT SLOW SPEED ON A HORIZONTAL
GROUND WITH HARD SURFACE.
TANK HAS RUBBER FACED BEARING SURFACE OF THE
TRACKS.
NEGLECT THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AND FORCES R1
AND R2 RESISTING THE PROGRESSIVE MOYION OF THE
TRACKS.
ONLY SLIDING FRICTIONAL FORCES ARE ACTING
BETWEEN TRACKS AND THE ROAD SURFACE DURING
TURNING.
P2 TRACTION FORCE OF THE FASTER MOVING TRACK
P1 BRAKING FORCE OF THE SLOWER MOVING TRACK
Mr MOMENT OF RESISTANCE TO TANK TURNING,

EXTERNAL FORCES AND

MOMENTS ACTING ON THE
TANK

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING

THE FORCE P1 IS DIRECTED OPPOSITE

FORCE P2
R1 = R2 = 0
TO OVERCOME Mr FORCES P1 AND P2 WILL
CREATE A MOMENT Mt
Mt = (P1 + P2). B/2
TO CONSIDER THE INTERACTION OF
BEARING SURFACES OF THE TRACKS
WITH THE GROUND, LEADING TO CROSS
WISE DISPLACEMENT OF THE TURNING
POLES OF THE TRACKS THROUGH VALUE
y2 AND y1 TO THE POINTS O2 AND O1

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
SELECT ANY ELEMENTAL AREAS ON THE TRACK

BEARING SURFACES OF THE TRACKS AND CONNECT

THEIR CENTRES a1 AND a2 WITH THE TURNING POLES O1
AND O2. THE ABSOLUTE SPEED OF THE SUBJECT
POINTS ARE v1 AND v2.
TANGENTIAL REACTIONS F1 AND F2 APPEAR DUE TO
DISPLACEMENT OF TRACKS RELATIVE TO THE GROUND
AND ACT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE SLIDING
SPEEDS.
ELEMENTAL FORCES P1 AND P2 ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL

AXES AND S1AND S2 ALONG THE CROSS WISE DIRECTION OF

THE TRACKS ARE OBTAINED BY RESOLVING THE F1 AND F2
P2 = P2 AND P1 = P1
THE RESISTANCE OF TANK TURNING
Mr = S2i xi + S1i xi
THE GREATER THE y1 AND y2 GREATER THE SLIDING OF FASTER
TRACK AND SKIDDING OF SLOWER TRACK - GREATER WILL BE
ELEMENTAL TENGENTIAL REACTION OF THE GROUND, LEADING TO

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING

THUS, P1 AND P2 INCREASE AND

Mt = (P1 + P2). B/2 INCREASES TOO, WHEREAS, Mr
RESISTANCE TO TURNING DECREASES.
PRESENCE
OF
GROUSERS
ALSO
INCREASES
LONGITUDINAL COMPONENTS AND DECREASES CROSS
WISE COMPONENTS OF TANGENTIAL REACTIONS OF THE
GROUND.
IN CASE OF UNIFORM TURNING, Mt = Mr AND THE
EQUATION
AUTOMATICALLY
ACCOMODATES
THE
SLIDING AND SKIDDING OF THE TRACKS.
DEPENDING ON THE GROUND QUALITY AND EXTERNAL
FORCES, i.e., WEIGHT COMPONENT OF THE TANK
MOVING ON A SLOPE, CENTRIFUGAL FORCE ETC, THE
ABOVE EQUATION ON THE EQUALITY OF EXTERNAL
MOMENTS ADOPTS TO NEW VALUES AS PER THE TRACK

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING

ASSUMING THERE IS NO CROSS WISE DISPLACEMENT OF

THE TURNING POLES IN ABOVE CASE WITH Y1 = Y2 = 0,
THE TURNING POLES WILL LIE IN THE INTERSECTION
POINTS OF THE SYMMETRY AXES OF THE TRACK
BEARING SURFACES AS UNDER:

The corresponding equation P1i = 0; P2i = 0;

THE CASE REFLECTS TANK TURNING ONLY DUE TO
KINETIC ENERGY AND THE MOMENT OF RESISTANCE
WILL BE OVER COME BY INERTIA MOMENT OF THE

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
THE TANK IN GENERAL MOVES OVER THE
DEFORMED GROUND AND THE TANGENTIAL
REACTIONS OF THE GROUND ARE SUM OF:
FORCES ACTING ON THE LOWER RUN OF THE
TRACK LINK DUE TO SLIDING FRICTION.
FORCES ACTING ON THE BUTT EDGE OF THE
TRACK LINKS DUE TO PILING UP OF THE EARTH.
THE TRACK LINK TRAVEL IS A SECTION OF CIRCLE
INVOLUTE, THE LENGTH IS:
S = (L/2)2 / 2R
WHERE, L LENGTH OF TRACK BEARING
SURFACE
R TURNING RADIUS.

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
CONSIDERING THE CASE OF UNIFORM TURNING OF TANK
MOVING AT SLOW SPEED ALONG WITH FORCES P1 AND
P2 AND FORCES R1 AND R2 RESISTING THE MOTION DUE
TO GROUND DEFORMATION:

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
GENERALLY R1 AND R2 ARE ASSUMED TO BE EQUAL
R1 = f NS
R2 = f Nf
WHERE,
NS AND Nf NORMAL REACTION OF THE
GROUND ON THE SLOWER AND FASTER MOVING TRACK
UNDER THE ABOVE CONDITION OF MOTION
R1, R2 = f G/2
THE TRACTION FORCE P2 AND BRAKING FORCE P1 FROM
THE EQUATIONS OF THEEXTERNAL FORCE MOMENTS
RELATIVE TO POINTS O1 AND O2
P2 = R2 + Mr/ B = f G/2 + Mr/B
P1 = -R1 + Mr/B = -f G/2 + Mr/B
IF TANK IS TURNED WITHOUT BRAKING OF SLOWER
MOVING TRACK AT P1 = 0, THEN
Mt = (P2 R2) B = R1B
IN CASE OF THE TANK MOVING AT SLOW SPEED ,
CONSIDERING R = R

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
Mr= Mt = (P2 + P1) B/2
BY MEASURING ONE OF THE FORCES, THE TURNING
MOMENT CAN BE CALCULATED FROM ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING:
Mt = (P1 + R1)B
OR
Mt = (P2 R2)BTHE STRAIN
GAUGES ARE GENERALLY MOUNTED ON THE SHAFTS
OF THE FINAL DRIVES IN ORDER TO MEASURE THE
MOMENTS ON THE DRIVING SPROCKETS.
MOMENT AND TURNING RESISTANCE COEFFICIENT:
THE CALCULATION METHOD BASED ON THE FOLLOWING
ASSUMPTION IS ACCEPTABLE:
THE UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF THE NORMAL
PRESSURE EXERTED ON THE GROUND FROM TRACK
BEARING SURFACES ON THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF TRACK
CHAIN IS DEPICTED ON THE NEXT SLIDE:

DISTRIBUTION OF THE
PRESSURE ON THE GROUND

WHERE,

q = G/2L
q LOAD PER UNIT LENGTH

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
MOMENT AND
TURNING
RESISTANCE
COEFFICIENT (CONTD)
THE LINEAR DEPENDENCE OF THE CROSSWISE
REACTIONS ACTING ON THE TRACK CHAINS FROM THE
GROUND ON THE NORMAL LOADS IS AS UNDER:

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
MOMENT AND TURNING RESISTANCE COEFFICIENT
(CONTD):
s = q
WHERE,
s CROSSWISE FORCE ACTING ON THE UNIT
LENGTH OF THE TRACK
PROPORTIONALITY FACTOR
THUS,
s = G/ 2L
IF THE NORMAL LOADS APPLIED ON BOTH THE TRACKS
ARE EQUAL, THE RESULTANT CROSSWISE FORCES
ACTING ON THE HALF OF THE LENGTH OF THE TRACK
WILL BE
s2 = s2 = s1 = s1 = s L / 2 = G/4
THE TURNING RESISTANCE MOMENT WILL BE:
Mr = (s1 + s2) L/2 = GL/4

MOMENT AND TURNING RESISTANCE

COEFFICIENTS
THE VALUE OF THE TURNING RESISTANCE COEFFICIENT
IS OBTAINED AS BELOW:
= 4Mr /GL = Mr / (GL/4)
THE ABOVE COEFFICIENT DEPENDS UPON THE TURNING
RADIUS AND DECREASE WITH INCREASE OF THE
TURNING RADIUS.

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
THE
RELATION
BETWEEN
TURNING
RESISTANCE COEFFICIENT AND TURNING
RADIUS EXPRESSED IN FRACTIONS OF
TRACK CENTER DISTANCE IS
= MAX / [a + (1 a)R/B]
WHERE, R

THEORETICAL
TURNING
RADIUS
MAX coefficient at R = B
a TEST COEFFICIENT (ASSUME
AS 0.85)

EXTERNAL FORCES ACTING ON

TANK TRACKS IN TURNING
MEAN VALUES OF TURNING RESISTANCE
COEFFICIENT
DRY SANDY WITH MOISTURE < 8% - 0.8 TO
1.0
DRY EARTHEN ROAD ON SANDY LOAM - 0.7
TO 0.9
PLOUGHED LAND SANDY LOAM 0.6 TO 0.8
WET SANDY LOAM w >20% - 0.3 TO 0.4
SNOW 0.25 TO 0.7

METHOD OF DECREASING THE

TURNING RESISTANCE MOMENT
ACHIEVED AS UNDER:
SHORTENING THE TRACK LENGTH
THE BUTT ENDS OF THE TRACK LINKS ARE ROUNDED
OFF OR LIFTED ABOVE
BY REDUCING THE TURNING RESISTANCE MOMENT
VALUE BY CHANGING THE NORMAL PRESSURE AS
UNDER:
Mr = 2 ( G/4) (L/3) = GL/6
IN CASE OF UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION
Mr = GL/4
THE NON UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION LEADS TO THE
REDUCTION OF CROSS COUNTRY MOBILITY AND OVER
LOADING OF TYRES AND BEARINGS OF MIDDLE BOGIE
WHEELS, HENCE, GENERALLY NOT ADOPTED.