Journal of Computational Applied Mechanics

Study and simulation of the effective factors on soil compaction by tractors wheels using the finite element method

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

3 M.S. Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Soil is a nonrenewable source that needs considerable management to prevent physical deterioration
by erosion and compaction. Compacted soil causes low fertility and yield. The purpose of this study is
to investigate the effect of viscoelastic properties of soil and to determine important factors on
compaction. Furthermore, stress distribution, prediction of soil compaction and simulation of its effect
under tractor wheels using ANSYS software were also studied. Predicted results using ANSYS
software are compared with laboratory and field results. Simulations were carried out by changing and
measuring effective factors on soil compaction. These factors consist of wheel parameters which
include: number of wheel passes, speed and load; and the soil parameters such as soil bulk density and
Young’s modulus. The predicted results indicated that maximum soil compaction in the first traffic
with 512 mm was induced by viscoelastic properties of soil and the minimum soil compaction in the
sixth traffic was 8 mm caused by soil elasticity properties. Variation in soil bulk density was
negligible. Also at each wheel pass, e maximum stress was in the soil surface and this decreased with
increase in depth. The maximum vertical stress on the soil in the sixth traffic was 120.477 kPa at 2.52
km/h and the minimum was 117.46 kPa at 5 km/h.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Journal of Computational Applied Mechanics
Volume 46, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
July 2015
Pages 107-115
  • Receive Date: 16 March 2015
  • Revise Date: 10 June 2015
  • Accept Date: 06 October 2015