Wear Analysis of Materials Used for a Track Steering System in Abrasive Soil Mass

This paper presents the results of comparative research on materials used for a track steering system in an abrasive soil mass. Two types of elastomer tracks were tested: a steel-rubber stave from an asphalt paver and a rubber overlay used in vehicles with a steel track chain. The results obtained were related to the wear of Hadfield steel. The tests were carried out on a “spinning bowl” stand in a natural soil mass, which consisted of two types of soil: light and heavy. It was shown that the resistance to abrasive wear depended on the grain size of the worked soil and the chemical composition of the materials. Rubber overlay was found to have the highest resistance index in all types of soils. It was made of high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, ethylene acrylate/ethyl copolymer (ethylene acrylate 18%) and ethylene/propylene copolymer with an ethylene content of 60%. An analysis of the condition of the machined surfaces after friction tests complements the results presented.