Qualitative Research of Combined Friction in Contact of Elastic Wheel with Solid Surface

This article describes the results of an experimental research of combined friction in the contact of an elastic wheel with a solid surface for the purpose of qualitatively determining the relative location of the areas with static friction and sliding friction relative to the linear velocity vector of the wheel. The experiment was carried out on a special installation with a glassy support surface, using video equipment to record the results. The conclusions are drawn about the qualitative arrangement of areas with static friction and sliding friction in the contact relative to the linear velocity vector of the wheel. The conducted research showed that, when modeling the rotation of a wheeled vehicle, the areas with the static friction are displaced aside, opposite to the direction of the lateral force, and when modeling the braking—in the direction opposite to the direction of speed of a sliding wheel. A further study of combined friction in the contact and the development of the methods for their investigation will correctly simulate the stability and controllability of the wheeled vehicle under various modes of its motion. Also, the results of the paper can be useful in developing new algorithms for the functioning of drive control systems of wheeled vehicles.