Multiphysics simulation of construction equipment - coupling material, machine and power source

In recent years, Volvo CE and the Fraunhofer ITWM have developed a co simulation framework in the construction equipment development context that serves to virtually analyze the interaction of construction equipment machines with the geomaterial. In particular, the communication interface involves Volvo CE s multibody machine models and the Fraunhofer ITWM's software package for soil simulation that is based on the discrete element method. This paper continues the development by including a power source model and an operator model that are required in order to realize force driven maneuvers. Furthermore, the paper presents some initial results from the co simulation model and makes a quantitative comparison to available measurement results for some important structural loads.