Traversability

Traversability is the property of a terrain that determines whether it can be crossed by a given agent under specified conditions. It depends on the carrier’s capabilities (feet, wheels, tracks, or legs), its load, weather, and the required speed or safety threshold. In planning, traversability is represented spatially to support routing.

Key factors include slope or gradient, surface roughness and texture, deformability and cohesion (such as sand, mud, or ice), friction between contact surfaces, obstacle density, vegetation, water pockets, and environmental conditions like temperature or lighting. The same terrain may be traversable for one agent but not for another.

Assessment methods combine qualitative judgments with quantitative metrics and modeling. Common metrics include slope angle, roughness indices, friction estimates, and energy cost. Traversability maps or cost surfaces are generated from terrain data (aerial imagery, LiDAR, stereo vision) to guide planners while accounting for risk.

Applications span autonomous robotics and vehicle navigation, planetary exploration, disaster response, and outdoor recreation planning. For robots, traversability informs local planning and perception; for space missions, it guides rover paths across unknown ground.

Limitations include dynamic change, measurement uncertainty, and agent-specific constraints. Traversability is context-dependent and time-sensitive, requiring ongoing assessment and adaptive planning.