Multibody modeling and experimental assessment of main battle tank dynamics for enhanced vehicle performance

High-speed tracked vehicles are critical assets in modern military operations, combining mobility across challenging terrains with superior load-bearing capabilities. This work focuses on the multibody modeling of a main battle tank (MBT) and on the assessment of its longitudinal and lateral dynamics, together with the suspension system response, through an extensive testing campaign based on a tailored experimental methodology. The proposed MBT multibody model captures the complex interactions among the primary vehicle subsystems – hull, suspension system, and track assemblies – as well as their interactions with idler, sprocket, and road wheels, considering non-linearities in stiffness and damping characteristics. Particular attention is given to the evolution of the track chain tension during both straight-line and turning maneuvers. The experimental campaign is conducted on concrete tracks, representative of rigid terrain conditions. The sensors suite included inductive pick-ups mounted on both sprocket wheels, six potentiometric wire transducers to measure the relative displacement between the hull and road wheels, and an inertial measurement unit to record the position, speeds and accelerations of the sprung mass. Subsequently, the multibody model, driven by the experimentally measured rotational speeds of the two sprockets, is employed to replicate the test maneuvers, demonstrating strong agreement between numerical predictions and experimental results.