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A semi-track air-cushion vehicle (STACV) which combines an air-cushion lifting system with a semi-track propulsion system is an efficient solution for heavy-duty vehicles working on soft terrain, such as the vehicles for agricultural, oil industrial and military purposes. Focusing on optimizing fuel economy of the vehicle, five main issues are studied in this paper. Firstly, based on the analyses of resistances for the STACV in a sandy loam working condition, a theoretical model for fuel consumption of 100km, which is an evaluation index for fuel economy, is established. Secondly, through simplified by a group of constraint equations based on the physical structure of the vehicle, the running parameters and control target (fuel consumption of 100km) could be expressed by the following two measurable and adjustable parameters, fan rotational speed and vehicle forward speed.

A new design method is proposed for a semi-tracked air-cushion vehicle for soft terrain by using a flexible bind, which offers more flexibility in designing. This paper describes the design principle focusing on optimizing the total power consumption of the vehicle. The relationships of load distribution and power consumption are analyzed. The prototype experiments showed that the proposed design can meet the demand of tractive and transport efficiency with its optimal state of using minimum total power consumption and meanwhile maintaining ride comfort.