The analysis of conditions for testing mileage of military vehicles

The study discusses the issue of determining the conditions for testing the mileage of a vehicle. Lifetime tests are the crucial element of qualification tests. This type of research verifies the resistance of vehicles and elements of their on-board equipment to vibrations and shocks resulting from the interaction of uneven surface during the movement. Certain test conditions can be straightforwardly determined and verified e.g. weather conditions or a type of the road/surface. The problem appears when the tests are to be conducted in field conditions (off-road). At the set driving speed, the level and frequency structure of dynamic loads of elements of a vehicle drive system depend mainly on a surface profile and its viscoelastic conditions. Either the profile or the characteristics of ground foundations change over the time depending on various factors. The paper attempts to assess the interaction of a ground surface of selected field roads on a vehicle. The result of direct measurement of the vertical acceleration captured on a drive axle and on a vehicle’s frame above the axle was addressed. The measurement results were analyzed within the context of possible planning of vehicle test requirements with the application of the method of testing mileage under the field conditions.