Design and Simulation of a Quadruped Robot for Ground Contact Forces on Various Surfaces
Corresponding email: eng.zaineb@uomustansiriyah.edu.iq
Published at : 28 Jan 2026
Volume : IJtech
Vol 17, No 1 (2026)
DOI : https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v17i1.7552
| Zaineb Wared Matteb | Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Technology, Al-Sina’a Street, Baghdad 10066, Iraq |
| Sadeq Hussein Bakhy | Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Technology, Al-Sina’a Street, Baghdad 10066, Iraq |
| Nabil Hassan Hadi | Aeronautical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Baghdad 10072, Iraq |
Legged robots have become a central focus in robotics research due to their superior ability to traverse rough terrains that hinder wheeled and tracked systems. One critical challenge in the design of quadruped robots is managing vertical ground contact forces during locomotion to prevent structural damage and improve efficiency. This study presents the design and analysis of a quadruped robot, focusing on the calculation of ground impact forces during movement across different surfaces. A five-bar linkage leg mechanism with two degrees of freedom per leg was modeled in MATLAB/Simulink 2023b. A physical prototype was fabricated using 3D printing with ABS material and controlled by Raspberry Pi and Arduino units. The ground contact forces were measured on hard and soft surfaces using force sensors and Wi-Fi-based data acquisition modules. The experimental results were in close agreement with the simulation data. On hard surfaces, the peak ground contact forces ranged between 12 and 14 N, indicating stable foot-ground interaction. Slight variations were observed on soft surfaces at the start of locomotion, attributed to terrain inconsistencies. The simulated forces were 6.61% higher than the experimental values on soft surfaces and 3.89% higher on hard surfaces, demonstrating high model accuracy within acceptable error margins. This study provides a comprehensive frame-work for improving quadruped robot design by integrating theoretical modeling and practical validation. The findings of this study contribute to the development of more stable and efficient robotic locomotion systems, enhancing performance across various ground types.
Dynamic modeling; Ground contact force; Ground types interaction; SimMechanicsTM; Quadruped robot
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