Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Humanoid Robots on Deformable Terrain: A Multibody-Terramechanics Co-simulation Approach

Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Humanoid Robots on Deformable Terrain: A Multibody-Terramechanics Co-simulation Approach | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 7 October 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Humanoid Robots on Deformable Terrain: A Multibody-Terramechanics Co-simulation Approach Authors : Likai Zheng , Yuemin Zhang , Junwei Shi , Dan Negrut 0000-0003-1565-2784 , and Wei Hu 0000-0003-0799-977X [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175983916.60770650/v1 648 views 177 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Humanoid robots are expected to operate in unstructured environments where foot-soil interaction strongly affects mobility. This work develops a simulation framework that couples multibody dynamics with deformable terrain models to study locomotion under such conditions. We compare two approaches: the Discrete Element Method (DEM), which provides particle-level accuracy at high computational cost, and the Soil Contact Model (SCM), an empirical formulation calibrated through DEM-based virtual bevameter tests. Through a progression of experiments–from single-foot validation to full-robot walking, climbing, running, and jumping–we show that SCM predicts foot-soil forces and joint loads with accuracy sufficient for motion planning, while achieving near real-time efficiency. DEM, while more computationally demanding, remains essential for analyzing extreme maneuvers involving rapid soil deformation. Together, these results highlight a pathway for scalable, high-fidelity simulation of humanoid locomotion in granular environments, with direct implications for planetary exploration, disaster response, and other field robotics applications. Supplementary Material File (manuscript_reduced.pdf) Download 12.08 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 07 October 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords humanoid robotics multibody systems soil mechanics Authors Affiliations Likai Zheng Shanghai Jiao Tong University View all articles by this author Yuemin Zhang Shanghai Jiao Tong University View all articles by this author Junwei Shi National Key Laboratory of Aerospace Mechanism View all articles by this author Dan Negrut 0000-0003-1565-2784 University of Wisconsin-Madison View all articles by this author Wei Hu 0000-0003-0799-977X [email protected] Shanghai Jiao Tong University View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 648 views 177 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Likai Zheng, Yuemin Zhang, Junwei Shi, et al. Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Humanoid Robots on Deformable Terrain: A Multibody-Terramechanics Co-simulation Approach. Authorea . 07 October 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175983916.60770650/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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