Soil compaction can occur due to machine traffic and is an indicator of soil physical structure

degradation. Evaluation of soil compaction due to its negative effect on the rate of agricultural production and
plant growth is important because soil compaction can easily reduce yield up to 10% through destruction of soil
structure and reduction of water flow into the soil, which can lead to soil degradation (Duiker, 2002). Though
precision farming methods that restrict traffic can reduce soil compaction, modern tractors are heavier than in the
past with higher capacity of traction and carting resulting in a greater potential for compaction. Soil compaction
often prohibits crop roots from extending to reach more soil for water, nutrients, and anchorage.
Compaction can also reduce infiltration of water into soil, causing an increased potential for runoff and erosion.

Analysis of Tire Tractive Performance on Deformable Terrain using Finite Element Method-Discrete Element
Method:
Practical and fast simulation tool for soil tire interaction analysis
FEM and DEM are coupled together
Vertical sinkage and travel of tire are considered
Relations like load-sinkage, travel-sinkage, gross tractive effort and running resistance
Determine the maximum drawbar pull for given tire

Measuring soil compaction and soil behavior under the tractor tire using strain transducer

Soil compaction can occur due to machine traffic and is an indicator of soil physical structure degradation. For this
study 3 strain transducers with a maximum displacement of 5 cm were used to measure soil compaction under the
rear tire of MF285 tractor. In first series of experiments, the effect of tractor traffic was investigated using
displacement transducers and cylindrical cores. For the second series, only strain transducers were used to
evaluate the effect of moisture levels of 11%, 16% and 22%, tractor velocities of 1, 3 and 5 km/h, and three depths
of 20, 30 and 40 cm on soil compaction, and soil behavior during the compaction process was investigated.
Results showed that no significant difference was found between the two methods of measuring the bulk density.
The three main factors were significant on soil compaction at a probability level of 1%. The mutual binary effect of
moisture and depth was significant at 1%, and the interaction of moisture, velocity, and depth were significant at
5%. The soil was compressed in the vertical direction and elongated in the lateral direction. In the longitudinal
direction, the soil was initially compressed by the approaching tractor, then elongated, and ultimately compressed
again.

How to select air pressures in the tires of MFWD (mechanical front-wheel drive) tractor to minimize fuel
consumption for the case of reasonable wheel slip
In agriculture, tractor is the most fuel-consuming machine. The research indicates that 20e55% of
available tractor power is lost in the process of interaction between tires and soil surface. Tire pressure
and vertical wheel load are both easily managed parameters, which play a significant role in controlling
the slip, the traction force and the fuel consumption of a tractor. The purpose of the research was to base
theoretically and experimentally the tire pressures that ensure a minimum kinematic mismatch between
the drive wheels for MFWD (mechanical front-wheel drive) tractor, and thereby reduce the fuel consumption
at a reasonable tire slip. Close to one coefficient of kinematic mismatch between the front and
the rear wheels was observed when combinations of pressures in the rear/front tires were made,
respectively: 150/70, 190/110, and 230/115 kPa. When tractor (MFWD) was driving on a hard road surface
without thrust load and with above mentioned tire pressure combinations, the lowest fuel consumption
was reached, namely, in the range from 3.75 to 3.8 L h

Tractor tire aspect ratio effects on soil bulk density and cone index
A 580/70R38 tractor drive tire with an aspect ratio of 0.756 and a 650/75R32 tire with an aspect ratio of 0.804
were operated at two
dynamic loads and two inflation pressures on a sandy loam and a clay loam with loose soil above a hardpan. Soil
bulk density and cone
index were measured just above the hardpan beneath the centerline and edge of the tires. The bulk densities were
essentially equal for the two tires and cone indices were also essentially equal for the two tires. Soil bulk density
and cone index increased with increasing dynamic load at constant inflation pressure, and with increasing inflation
pressure at constant dynamic load. In comparisons of the centerline and edge locations, soil bulk density and cone
index were significantly less beneath the edge than beneath the centerline of the tires. Soil compaction
is not likely to be affected by the aspect ratio of radial-ply tractor drive tires when aspect ratios are between 0.75
and 0.80.
Stress analysis of a multi-laminated tractor tyre using non-linear 3D finite element analysis
To analyse the off-road tyreroad contact pressure distribution as a function of inflation pressure and
normal load, a non-linear multi-laminated model of a tractor tyre was developed. The modelling process
is based on the 3D pressure fields obtained through the non-linear static stress analysis of a finite element
(FE) tyre model, which considers the structural geometry, the anisotropic material properties of the multiple
layers and the nearly incompressible property of the tread rubber block. Increased levels of tyre
road interface stress were found near the centre of the tyreroad model when inflation pressure was
increased and near the edge when load was increased. The peak interface pressure results showed that
the greatest ratio of peak interface pressure to inflation pressure was 2.5 and the lowest ratio was
0.21. The computed tyreroad contact lengths are qualitatively compared with the measured data to
examine the validity of the model. It is concluded that the proposed model can provide reliable predictions
for the three-dimensional stress field in the multi-laminated system and the contact pressure distribution
throughout the tractor tyreroad interface.
Tractor traction performance simulation on differently textured soils and validation: A basic study to make traction
and energy requirements accessible to the practice
Several models exist to simulate traction performance of a tractor, however, for most of them a proper
experimental validation is missing. Moreover, their possible application for a practical use in a wide range
of vehicles, equipment and soil configurations has never been further developed. This study examines a
semi-empirical model of soil-tyre interaction, adapted to simulate the traction performance of
mechanical front wheel drive tractors, taking into account not only mechanical soil and tyre parameters
and static vehicle load but also the multi-pass effect, the load transfer effect, and the theoretical speed
ratio between front and rear axles. This model simulates drawbar pull, traction coefficient, traction
efficiency, and motion resistance as a function of slip, wheel load, tyre size and pressure. Several traction
tests were performed on four Swiss agricultural soils of different type (clay, clay loam, silty loam, and
loamy sand) in order to validate the model experimentally. Three tractors of widely ranging power (from
40 to 132 kW) and weight (from 24 to 68 kN) were used. Tractor configurations were varied by changing
tyre pressure and tractor weight. Slip normally ranged between 5 and 30%. In most of the cases the model
simulated drawbar pull as well as its variations due to changes in tyre pressure, wheel load, and soil
strength reliably for practical purposes. Only when high wheel load was combined with low inflation
pressure the model did not give suitable results due to an overestimation of the rolling radius. Based on
the presented model, a convenient Excel-application called TASCV3.0 was developed for the practice.
Such a practical computer-tool supports farmers in decision making concerning the tractor configuration,
oriented to save fuel during agricultural operations.