Ground pressure is the pressure exerted on the ground by the tires or tracks of a motorized vehicle, and is one measure of its potential mobility,[1] especially over soft ground. Ground pressure can be measured in (for example) kilopascals (kPa) or pounds per square inch (psi). Ground pressure can be calculated with the formula (loaded weight divided by ground contact area)[2] The ground pressure of motorized vehicles is often compared to the ground pressure of a human foot, which can be 9 - 12 PSI while walking or as much as 1,920 PSI for a person in spike heels[3].
Increasing the size of the contact area on the ground (the footprint) in relation to the weight decreases the ground pressure. Ground pressure of 14 Pa (2 psi) or less is recommended for fragile ecosystems like marshes.[4] Decreasing the ground pressure increases the flotation, allowing easier passage of the body over soft terrain. This is often observed in activities like snowshoeing.
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Example Ground Pressures
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All example are approximate, and will vary based on conditions
Hovercraft: 0.7 kPa (0.1 psi)
Human on Snowshoes: 3.5 kPa (0.5 psi)
Rubber-tracked ATV: 5.165 kPa (0.75 psi)
Diedrich D-50 - T2 Drilling rig: 26.2 kPa (3.8 psi)
Human Male (1.8 meter tall, medium build): 55 kPa (8 psi)
M1 Abrams tank: 103 kPa (15 psi)
1993 Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf: 170 kPa (25 psi)
Adult horse (550 kg, 1250 lb): 170 kPa (25 psi)
Passenger car: 205 kPa (30 psi)
Wheeled ATV: 240 kPa (35 psi)
Mountain bicycle: 245 kPa (40 psi)
Racing bicycle: 620 kPa (90 psi)
Note pressures for Man and Horse are for standing still. A walking human will exert more than double its standing pressure. A galloping horse will exert up to 3.5 MPa (500 psi)
See also
Related reading
- Theory of Ground Vehicles [5]
References
- ^ Allen, Jim. Jeep 4 X 4 Performance Handbook. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. p. 16. SBN 076030470X.
- ^ Wenger, Karl F. (1984). Forestry Handbook. New York : Wiley. p. 499. ISBN 0-471-06227-8.
- ^ Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors. Island Press. 2000. p. 51. ISBN 1-55963-646-7.
- ^ "Page 4 of Management of small dock and piers, best management practices, May 2005 NOAA". http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/initiatives/media/bmp.pdf.
- ^ Wong, Jo Yung (2001). Theory of Ground Vehicles. New York : John Wiley,. ISBN 0-471-35461-9.
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