Terrain machine learning

Abstract: The use of heavy vehicles in rough terrain is vital in the industry but has negative implications for the climate and ecosystem. In addition, the demand for improved efficiency underscores the need to enhance these vehicles' navigation capabilities. Navigating rough terrain presents distinct challenges, including deformable soil, surface roughness, and spatial and temporal terrain variability. Focusing on forestry, this thesis aims to improve navigation using machine learning and physics simulations. Without considering the vehicle-terrain dynamics, methods for navigation can result in unsafe or unnecessarily challenging situations. Specifically, we address route planning, control for autonomous vehicles, and soilde formations. We simulate soil using the discrete element method and vehicles using multibody dynamics.To enhance route planning, we train a predictor model that uses a height map of the terrain to predict measures of traversability. The model has a directional dependency, couples geometric terrain features with vehicle design and dynamics, and allows for swift evaluations over large areas. The proposed method facilitates detailed route planning, using multiple objectives to yield efficient solutions.We address autonomy in rough terrain navigation by training a controller through deep reinforcement learning. The control policy uses a local height map for perception to plan and control a forwarder with actively articulated suspensions. The controller adapts to overcome various obstacles and demonstrates skilled driving in rough terrain.Extending beyond simulation, we address the simulation-to-reality gap of vehicles with complex hydraulic drivelines through system identification and domain randomization. The results show that having an accurate model of the actuators, modelling system delays, and preventing bang-bang control yields successful transfer. Controllers that train in simulation and transfer to reality are a step toward autonomous vehicles.While the previously mentioned studies assume rigid terrain, we also answer if the discrete element method can capture large soil deformations due to heavy traffic. The results show that the discrete element method can represent a wide variety of natural soil and that the resulting rut depths agree well with empirical models and experimental data, including multipass scenarios.