Experimental Investigation on Improvement of Surface Load-bearing Ability of Loose Soil

In This paper, Interaction between the driving wheel and loose soil was tested. Also tested was soil characteristics with pressing boards and three-axle instrument. Test results showed that surface layer of loaded loose soil produced deformation under pressure and flow of soil,and the amount of sinkage of the load caused by the flow of soil accounted for as high as 75 % of the total amount of sinkage. Therefore the main method of increasing surface load-bearing ability of loose soil is to limit shear flow beneath wheel.The area and shape of interaction between a camel foot and ground were measured and analyzed. The changing process of three dimensional stresses of sand beneath camel foot was also measured. The principle of the possessive ability of area-increasing and sand-fitting and high mobility performance of the camel foot was promulgated.This paper put forward that the study on camel foot would provide valuable contribution to the development of legged sand vehicles.