Fluid-Dynamic and Structural Optimization of a Suction-Enabled Autonomous Grass-Cutter Robot
| dc.contributor.author | Dol, Sharul Sham | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kamalaksha, Shenoy Adithya | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kumar, Abhishek | |
| dc.contributor.author | ETAL.. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-01-22T07:52:41Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-01-22T07:52:41Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | Autonomous grass‐cutter robots have emerged as key enablers in precision agriculture and turf management, offering significant reductions in labour requirements and improvements in operational consistency. Early designs focused on basic rotary‐blade implementations, demonstrating that shear‐based cutting can be achieved with carbon or stainless‐steel blades, achieving effective grass severance through impact and shearing stress [1]. Subsequent work has examined coverage‐path planning algorithms tailored for agricultural vehicles to ensure full field traversal with minimal overlap, thereby maximizing energy efficiency and reducing soil compaction [2]. Control strategies for four‐wheeled platforms have also been developed, addressing longitudinal and lateral stability in uneven terrain [3], while more recent efforts have leveraged mobile applications for teleoperation and autonomous waypoint navigation in Android‐controlled mowers [4]. Chassis design and mobility are critical for reliable outdoor operation. Multi‐wheel configurations improve traction and obstacle negotiation: an eight‐wheel agricultural robot achieved superior hill‐climbing performance through optimized traction allocation [5], and reviews of rolling robots highlight design principles for overcoming obstacles such as stones and ruts [6]. Structural finite‐element analyses on light‐weight aluminium 6061-T6 chassis frames have demonstrated up to 20 % mass reduction without compromising safety factors, guiding the selection of hybrid aluminium–acrylic backbones for robust yet lightweight designs [7]. | |
| dc.description.abstract | Autonomous grass-cutter robots are increasingly important for precision agriculture and turf management, offering the potential to reduce labour costs, improve safety, and enhance operational efficiency. However, existing design studies typically address individual subsystems in isolation, lacking a unified framework for comparative evaluation of multi-wheel configurations. To fill this gap, this work introduces a novel, multi-domain integration framework combining structural finite-element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with analytical ΔP–Q and Reynolds number modelling, URDF-based Webots simulation, and Python-driven parametric studies, a unified approach not found in prior grass-cutter robot studies. Key highlights of the paper include: structural optimization, an aluminium 6061-T6 backbone with acrylic panels delivers a 15 % mass reduction while maintaining a safety factor ≥ 2.0 under peak loads; suction performance, comparative CFD and Darcy–Weisbach analyses of duct geometries identify the S-type as optimal, with a validated pressure drop of ∼0.85 kPa and turbulent intensity ∼3.8 % promoting effective debris entrainment; mobility assessment, Webots simulations reveal that a six-wheel chassis enhances traction by 18 % but incurs 12 % higher rolling resistance relative to a four-wheel variant. Analytical modelling modules estimate grass-cutting power, battery endurance (with Peukert's correction), and terrain sensitivity, enabling rapid design optimization. The inclusion of both simulation and fluid-theoretic validation, including Reynolds number, Darcy–Weisbach analysis, and turbulence intensity estimation, offers a robust methodology for optimizing suction flow performance. This integration not only strengthens mechanical and aerodynamic validation but also supports the sustainable development of closed-loop, compost-capable autonomous grass-cutting platforms. Keywords: Agricultural robotics, CFD validation, Darcy–Weisbach modelling, Pressure drop analysis, Reynolds number, Turbulent duct flow | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Kamalaksha, S. A., Kumar, A., Marneni, R., Ahmad, K. A., Singh, S., & Dol, S. S. (2025). Fluid-Dynamic and Structural Optimization of a Suction-Enabled Autonomous Grass-Cutter Robot. Results in Engineering, 106445. | |
| dc.identifier.doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.106445 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://repository.adu.ac.ae/handle/1/8070 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Elsevier B.V. | |
| dc.title | Fluid-Dynamic and Structural Optimization of a Suction-Enabled Autonomous Grass-Cutter Robot | |
| dc.type | Article |