UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Terramechanics and geomechanics are rarely considered early career paths. This talk traces the speaker’s journey from structural engineering to terramechanics, highlighting connections between fields and key project insights. It also details the path to securing an NSF CAREER Award and offers guidance for aspiring engineers and researchers. Terramechanics, focused on terrain–machine interaction, is vital for advancing autonomous systems in construction, mining, agriculture, and mobility.
Read MoreThe ISTVS Board of Directors (BOD) invites researchers to apply for funding to support research & development activities where members will make a contribution in areas important to the domain of terrain-vehicle systems and terramechanics. Funding provided under the Small Research Grants program of ISTVS is not meant to cover the complete cost of a research project, but to be complementary to already existing funding of the proposers. The awarded funding under the program should be used to facilitate collaboration between multiple institutions such that real, tangible progress can be made on the chosen topic for the benefit of ISTVS.
Read MoreThe ISTVS/ISU Symposium on Terramechanics in Agricultural Soil-Vehicle Systems was held on May 21, 2025, at Iowa State University (ISU) in Ames, Iowa. Organized by the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems (ISTVS) in collaboration with ISU, the symposium aimed to enhance awareness of ISTVS as an international society in the field of vehicle-terrain systems. The event targeted undergraduate and graduate students interested in off-road vehicle systems, engineers in the agriculture and construction equipment industries, tire and track manufacturers, digital technology developers, and farmers.
Read MoreMOBILITY SYSTEMS BRANCH, ERDC, U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
This talk will discuss the importance of sensors to autonomous ground vehicle mobility and some of the challenges involved in accurately modeling these sensors to provide useful data in modeling and simulation tools.
Read MoreISTVS Student Chapter at Virginia Tech at STEM Outreach event!!
Read MoreThe ISTVS/ISU Symposium 2025 on Terramechanics in Agricultural Soil - Vehicle Systems at ISU, Ames, Iowa aims engage undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in off-road vehicle systems, engineers in the private industry in agriculture and construction equipment manufacturers, tire and track manufacturers for agriculture and construction machines, digital technology developers for these industries and farmers on Agricultural Soil-Vehicle Systems.
Read MoreSOIL MACHINE DYNAMIC LABORATORY, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
This talk focuses on the virtual performance analysis of bulldozer blades and subsoilers to optimize design, train AI, and advance automation for earth-moving vehicles. It integrates high-fidelity elasto-plastic cohesive DEM soil models, similitude scaling, and validation experiments to predict energy and dynamic soil interactions. This approach supports digital twin development, enhances electric-powered off-road vehicle design, and accelerates AI-driven automation in earth-moving operations.
Read MoreWe regret to share the news of the passing of Dr. Zoltán Jánosi late last year. Dr. Jánosi remained remarkably vibrant—both in body and mind—until his passing at the age of 96 on November 21, 2024. His death is a profound loss to the terrain and soil mechanics research community. His legacy and memory will continue to be cherished by all who knew him and worked with him.
Read MoreFollowing the Society’s rotating presidency scheme, at the Yokohama conference I assumed the President’s role which I hope to hold for the next three years. In the closing session in Yokohama I gave a rundown of my thoughts on my upcoming term. I see the next few years as being very promising for our Society. Given my space robotics background, please allow me to be a bit subjective—I would like us to benefit from the surge of activities in lunar exploration we are witnessing from governmental and commercial actors.
Read MoreThank you to all who joined us for ISTVS 2024, 21st International and 12th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference. 110 participants from all over the world came together in Yokohama, Japan, for this year’s ISTVS conference—it was a great pleasure to meet you all.
Read MoreISTVS is pleased to share an announcement of a Call for Papers from our colleagues at FISITA for their 2025 World Mobility Conference in Barcelona. We have links to the event website and the full CFP PDF — and include highlights from the CFP. Event website | Full CFP PDF
Read MoreIt is with great sadness that ISTVS announces that Brigadier General (ret.) Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Guenter Hohl, EAEC President, FISITA Vice President, and ISTVS Fellow, passed away on 8 August 2024.
Read MoreThe 2024 technical tour will visit the demonstration site for smart construction vehicles with information and communication technology (ICT) at the Komatsu IoT Center in nearby Chiba. Participants will receive an overview of smart construction, observe a demonstration, and have the opportunity to test drive an ICT construction vehicle.
Read MoreProfessor Vladimir Vantsevich, ISTVS Journal of Terramechanics co-Editor-in-Chief, sent in a link on his research institute, the Autonomous Vehicle Mobility Institute (AVMI) at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). AVMI is featured in a recent issue of the school magazine, WPI Journal: https://wp.wpi.edu/journal/articles/off-road-brawn-with-ai-brains/ — the article is a very proficient introduction to the field of terramechanics!
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