Modelling compaction of agricultural subsoils by tracked heavy construction machinery under various moisture conditions in Switzerland

In recent years, agricultural land in Switzerland has been increasingly used as temporary access ways for heavy machinery in road and pipeline construction operations. The Swiss soil protection law requires that measures are taken to prevent soil compaction in such operations, but gives no criteria to determine tolerable loads. We studied the compaction sensitivity of a loess soil (Haplic Luvisol) at different soil moisture conditions in a field traffic experiment and by a numerical model on the computer using finite element analysis. Two plots, one wetted by sprinkling and one left dry (no sprinkling), were traversed by heavy caterpillar vehicles during construction of a large overland gas pipeline. Compaction effects were determined by comparing precompression stresses of samples taken from trafficked and non-trafficked soil. A finite element model with a constitutive relation, based on the concept of critical state soil mechanics, was used to interpret the outcome of the field trials.

We found significantly higher precompression stresses in the trafficked (median 97 kPa) compared with the non-trafficked (median 41 kPa) topsoil of the wet plot. No effect was evident in the topsoil of the dry plot as well as in the subsoils of the wet and the dry plot. The observed compaction effects were in agreement with the model predictions if the soil was assumed to be partially drained, but disagreed for the wet subsoil if fully drained conditions were assumed. Agreement between model and experimental results also required that the moisture dependence of the precompression stress was taken into account.     

Prevention of traffic-induced subsoil compaction in Sweden: Experiences from wheeling experiments

Abstract

In this paper we describe the susceptibility of Swedish subsoils to compaction and discuss strategies for prevention of traffic-induced subsoil compaction against the background of experiences from wheeling experiments conducted in Sweden during recent years. The susceptibility of Swedish subsoils to compaction must be considered high because subsoils are often wet during field operations and machinery with high wheel loads is used. The risk of subsoil compaction could be reduced by technical solutions, such as the use of dual and tandem wheels instead of single wheels, low tyre inflation pressure or tracks. However, each of these solutions has its limitations. Results from several wheeling experiments on different soils indicate that residual deformations occur even when the applied stress is lower than the precompression stress. Hence, soil compaction could not be avoided completely by limiting the applied stress to the precompression stress.     

Modern forestry vehicles and their impacts on soil physical properties

“Close-to-nature forest stands” are one central key in the project “Future oriented Forest Management” financially supported by the German Ministry for Science and Research (BMBF). The determination of ecological as well as economical consequences of mechanized harvesting procedures during the transformation from pure spruce stands to close-to-nature mixed forest stands is one part of the “Southern Black Forest research cooperation”. Mechanical operations of several typical forest harvesting vehicles were analysed to examine the actual soil stresses and displacements in soil profiles and to reveal the changes in soil physical properties of the forest soils. Soil compaction stresses were determined by Stress State Transducer (SST) and displacement transducer system (DTS) at two depths: 20 and 40 cm. Complete harvesting and trunk logging processes accomplished during brief 9-min operations were observed at time resolutions of 20 readings per second. Maximum vertical stresses for all experiments always exceeded 200 kPa and at soil depths of 20 cm for some vehicles and sequences of harvesting operations approached ≥500 kPa. To evaluate the impacts of soil stresses on soil structure, internal soil strengths were determined by measuring precompression stresses. Precompression stress values of forest soils at the field sites ranged from 20 to 50 kPa at soil depths of 20 cm depth and from 25 to 60 kPa at soil depths of 40 cm, at a pore water pressure of −60 hPa. Data obtained for these measured soil stresses and their natural bearing capacities proved that sustainable wheeling is impossible, irrespective of the vehicle type and the working process. Re-occurring top and subsoil compaction, increases in precompression stress values in the various soil horizons, deep rut depths, vertical and horizontal soil displacements associated with shearing stresses, all affected the mechanical strengths of forest soils. In order to sustain naturally “unwheeled” soil areas with minimal compaction, it is recommended that smaller machines, having less mass, be used to complete forest harvesting in order to prevent or at least to maintain currently minimal-compacted forest soils. Additionally, if larger machines are required, permanent wheel and skid tracks must be established with the goal of their maximum usefulness for future forest operations. A first step towards accomplishing these permanent pathways requires comprehensive planning with the Federal State Baden-Württemberg. The new guideline for final opening with skid tracks (Landesforstverwaltung Baden-Württemberg, 2003) proposes a permanent skid track system with a width of 20–40 m.     

侵蚀坡耕地土壤强度变化特征

Undisturbed soil cores were taken from different slope positions （upslope, backslope and footslope） and soil depths （0-15, 20-35 and 100-115 cm） in a soil catena derived from Quaternary red clay to determine the spatial changes in soil strength along the eroded slope and to ewluate an indicator to determine soil strength during compaction. Precompression stress, as an indicator of soil strength, significantly increased from topsoil layer to subsoil layer （P 〈0.05） and was affected by slope position. In the subsoil layer （20-35 cm）, the precompression stress at the footslope position was significantly greater than at the backslope and upslope positions （P 〈0.05）, while there were no significant differences at 0-15 and 100-115 cm. Precompression stress followed the spatial wriation of soil clay content with soil depth and had a significant linear relationship with soil porosity （r^2 = 0.40, P 〈 0.01）. Also, soil cohesion increased with increasing soil clay content. The precompression stress was significantly related to the applied stress corresponding to the highest change of pore water pressure （r^2 = 0.69, P 〈 0.01）. These results suggested that soil strength induced by soil erosion and soil management wried spatially along the slope and the maximum change in pore water pressure during compaction could be an easy indicator to describe soil strength.     

Subsoil compaction caused by machinery traffic on a Swedish Eutric Cambisol at different soil water contents

Field traffic may reduce the amount of air-filled pores and cavities in the soil thus affecting a large range of physical soil properties and processes, such as infiltration, soil water flow and water retention. Furthermore, soil compaction may increase the mechanical strength of the soil and thereby impede root growth.

The objective of this research was to test the hypotheses that: (1) the degree of soil displacement during field traffic depends largely on the soil water content, and (2) the depth to which the soil is displaced during field traffic can be predicted on the basis of the soil precompression stress and calculated soil stresses. In 1999, field measurements were carried out on a Swedish swelling/shrinking clay loam of stresses and vertical soil displacement during traffic with wheel loads of 2, 3, 5 and 7 Mg at soil water contents of between 11 and 35% (w/w). This was combined with determinations of soil precompression stress at the time of the traffic and predictions of the soil compaction with the soil compaction model SOCOMO. Vertical soil displacement increased with increased axle load. In May, the soil precompression stress was approximately 100 kPa at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 m depth. In August and September, the soil precompression stress at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 m depth was 550–1245 kPa. However, when traffic with a wheel load of 7 Mg was applied, the soil displacements at 0.5 m depth were several times larger in August and September than in May, and even more at 0.7 m depth. An implication of the results is that the precompression stress does not always provide a good indication of the risk for subsoil compaction. A practical consequence is that subsoil compaction in some soils may occur even when the soil is very dry. The SOCOMO model predicted the soil displacement relatively well when the soil precompression stress was low. However, for all other wheeling treatments, the model failed to predict that any soil compaction would occur, even at high axle loads.

The measured soil stresses were generally higher than the stresses calculated with the SOCOMO model. Neither the application of a parabolic surface load distribution nor an increased concentration factor could account for this difference. This was probably because the stress distribution in a very dry and strongly structured soil is different from the stress distribution in more homogeneous soils.     

Introduction to the special issue on experiences with the impact and prevention of subsoil compaction in the European Union

The papers in this special issue present results of the European Union (EU) concerted action “Experiences with the impact of subsoil compaction on soil crop growth and environment and ways to prevent subsoil compaction”. The results and conclusions of earlier research on subsoil compaction are memorized and it is emphasized that the conclusions are still sound: high axle load traffic on soils of high moisture content causes deep and persistent subsoil compaction. The concerted action on subsoil compaction in the EU and an almost identical concerted action on subsoil compaction in central and eastern Europe are briefly introduced. This special issue presents a selection of papers of the concluding workshop of the concerted action on subsoil compaction in the EU. It includes three papers on modeling the impact of subsoil compaction on crop growth, water availability to plants and environmental aspects; three papers on modeling of subsoil compaction by heavy machinery; four papers on measurement of soil mechanical and physical properties in relation to subsoil compaction and four papers on methods to determine the risk of subsoil compaction and to identify prevention strategies. The trends in agriculture in relation to subsoil compaction are discussed. A positive trend is that policy makers in the EU and worldwide recognize soil as a vital and largely non-renewable resource increasingly under pressure. A negative trend is that wheel loads in agriculture are still increasing causing severe damage to subsoils. The conclusion is that European subsoils are more threatened than ever in history. Manufactures, agricultural engineers and soil scientists should collaborate and research should be initiated to solve this problem and find solutions. Subsoil compaction should be made recognized by all people involved from farmer to policy maker. Therefore an assessment of the existence and seriousness of subsoil compaction throughout Europe should be initiated.     

Subsoil compaction by heavy sugarbeet harvesters in southern Sweden: III. Risk assessment using a soil water model

Due to its persistence, subsoil compaction should be avoided, which can be done by setting stress limits depending on the strength of the soil. Such limits must take into account soil moisture status at the time of traffic. The objective of the work presented here was to measure soil water changes during the growing period, use the data to calibrate a soil water model and simulate the soil susceptibility to compaction using meteorological data for a 25-year period. Measurements of soil water content were made in sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) from sowing until harvest in 1997 on two sites classified as Eutric Cambisols in southern Sweden. Sampling was carried out at 2-week intervals in 0.1 m layers down to 1 m depth, together with measurements of root growth and crop development. Precompression stress of the soil at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 m depth was determined from uniaxial compression tests at water tensions of 6, 30, 60 and 150 kPa and adjusted as a logarithmic function of the soil water tension. Soil water content was simulated by the SOIL model for the years 1963–1988. Risk calculations were made for a wheel load of 8 t and a ground pressure of 220 kPa, corresponding to a fully loaded six-row sugarbeet harvester. Subsoil compaction was expected to occur when the major principal stress was higher than the precompression stress. The subsoil water content was very low in late summer, but increased during the autumn. At the end of August, there was practically no plant available water down to 1 m depth. There was in general good agreement between measured and simulated values of soil water content for the subsoil, but not for the topsoil. In the 25-year simulations, the compaction risk at 50 cm depth was estimated to increase from around 25% to nearly 100% between September and late November, which is the period when the sugarbeet are harvested. The types of simulation presented here may be a very useful tool for practical agriculture as well as for society, in giving recommendations as to how subsoil compaction should be avoided.     

Compaction of an Eutric Cambisol under heavy wheel traffic in Switzerland — field data and modelling

Heavy agricultural machinery can cause structural degradation in agricultural subsoils. Severe structural degradation impedes plant growth. Therefore, compaction must be limited to layers that can be structurally reclaimed and remoulded with reasonable effort by tillage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a single pass with a sugar beet harvester on the soil properties of an unploughed Eutric Cambisol. Field measurements and laboratory testing were carried out in Frauenfeld, Switzerland. In addition 2D calculations of strain, stress and subsequent compaction were conducted using a three-phase (soil skeleton, pore water, and air) model for unsaturated soil incorporating a recently developed constitutive law. Model data were compared to the field measurements. Due to the pass of the machinery, the soil was compacted down to a depth of at least 0.15 m and at most 0.25 m. This compaction was indicated by an increase in soil bulk density and pre-consolidation pressure as well as by a decrease in total porosity and macroporosity. The surface displacement measured in the field was consistent with the calculated model data. The calculated and measured stresses at depths of 0.35 and 0.55 m stand in good accordance with each other, whereas at a depth of 0.15 m the pressure measured in the field exceeded the calculated pressure. In this study, we show the degree of compaction due to heavy wheel traffic and the suitability of a model approach to describe compaction processes.     

A method for predicting soil susceptibility to the compaction of surface layers as a function of water content and bulk density

Identifying the vulnerability of soils to compaction damage is becoming an increasingly important issue when planning and performing farming operations. Soil compaction models are efficient tools for predicting soil compaction due to agricultural field traffic. Most of these models require knowledge of the stress/strain relationship and of mechanical parameters and their variations as a function of different physical properties. Since soil compaction depends on the soil's water content, bulk density and texture, good understanding of the relations between them is essential to define suitable farming strategies according to climatic changes. In this work we propose a new pedotransfer function for 10 representative French soils collected from cultivated fields, a vineyard and forests. We investigate the relationship between soil mechanical properties, easily measurable soil properties, water content and bulk density. Confined compression tests were performed on remoulded soils of a large range of textures at different initial bulk densities and water contents. The use of remolded samples allowed us to examine a wide range of initial conditions with low measurement variability. Good linear regression was obtained between soil precompression stress, the compression index, initial water content, initial bulk density and soil texture. The higher the clay content, the higher the soil's capacity to bear greater stresses at higher initial water contents without severe compaction. Initial water content plays an important role in clayey and loamy soils. In contrast, for sandy soils, mechanical parameters were less dependent on initial water content but more related to initial bulk density. These pedotransfer functions are expected to hold for the soils of tilled surface layers, but further measurements on intact samples are needed to test their validity.     

Seasonal dynamics in wheel load‐carrying capacity of a loam soil in the Swiss Plateau

Subsoil compaction is a major problem in modern agriculture caused by the intensification of agricultural production and the increase in weight of agricultural machinery. Compaction in the subsoil is highly persistent and leads to deterioration of soil functions. Wheel load‐carrying capacity (WLCC) is defined as the maximum wheel load for a specific tyre and inflation pressure that does not result in soil stress in excess of soil strength. The soil strength and hence WLCC is strongly influenced by soil matric potential (h). The aim of this study was to estimate the seasonal dynamics in WLCC based on in situ measurements of h, measurements of precompression stress at various h and simulations of soil stress. In this work, we concentrated on prevention of subsoil compaction. Calculations were made for different tyres (standard and low‐pressure top tyres) and for soil under different tillage and cropping systems (mouldboard ploughing, direct drilling, permanent grassland), and the computed WLCC was compared with real wheel loads to obtain the number of trafficable days (NTD) for various agricultural machines. Wheel load‐carrying capacity was higher for the top than the standard tyres, demonstrating the potential of tyre equipment in reducing compaction risks. The NTD varied between years and generally decreased with increasing wheel load of the machinery. The WLCC simulations presented here provide a useful and easily interpreted tool to guide the avoidance of soil compaction.     

Soil compressibility and penetrability of an Oxisol from southern Brazil, as affected by long-term tillage systems

The precompression stress value defines the transition from the reloading curve to the virgin compression line in the stress–strain curve, which can be used to quantify the highest load or the most intense predrying previously applied to the soil. Thus, in soils with well-defined structured soil horizons, each layer can be characterized by such mechanical strength. Penetration resistance measurements, on the other hand, can be used to determine total soil strength profiles in the field. The effect of long-term tillage systems on physical and mechanical properties was determined in undisturbed and remolded samples collected at 5 and 15 cm depth, 6 months after applying no-till (NT), chisel plow (CP), and conventional tillage (CT) treatments, along with the application of mineral fertilizer and poultry litter. The compressibility tests were performed under confined conditions, with normal loads varying from 10 to 400 kPa after a defined predrying to −6 or −30 kPa. Penetration resistance was determined in the field, after seeding, in three positions: seeding row (SR), untrafficked interrow (UI), and recently trafficked interrow (TI). No-till system showed greater soil resistance to deformation than tilled treatments, as determined by the higher precompression stress and lower coefficient of compressibility. When original soil structure was destroyed (remolded samples), smaller differences were found. The application of extra organic matter (poultry litter) resulted in a reduction of precompression stress in undisturbed samples. Penetration resistance profiles showed greater differences among tillage treatments in the upper layer of the untrafficked interrow, where NT system showed the higher values. Smaller differences were found in the seeding row (with lower values) and in recently trafficked interrow (with higher values), showing that even traffic with a light tractor after soil tillage reduced drastically the effect of previous tillage by loosening up the soil. On the other hand, the tool used to cut the soil and to open the furrow for seeding, incorporated in the direct seeding machine, was sufficient to realleviate surface soil compaction.     

Prevention strategies for field traffic-induced subsoil compaction: a review: Part 1. Machine/soil interactions

Subsoil compaction is a severe problem mainly because its effects have been found to be long-lasting and difficult to correct. It is better to avoid subsoil compaction than to rely on alleviating the compacted structure afterwards. Before recommendations to avoid subsoil compaction can be given, the key variables and processes involved in the machinery–subsoil system must be known and understood. Field traffic-induced subsoil compaction is discussed to determine the variables important to the prevention of the compaction capability of running gear. Likewise, technical choices to minimise the risk of subsoil compaction are reviewed. According to analytical solutions and experimental results the stress in the soil under a loaded wheel decreases with depth. The risk of subsoil compaction is high when the exerted stresses are higher than the bearing capacity of the subsoil. Soil wetness decreases the bearing capacity of soil. The most serious sources of subsoil compaction are ploughing in the furrow and heavy wheel loads applied at high pressure in soft conditions. To prevent (sub)soil compaction, the machines and equipment used on the field in critical conditions should be adjusted to actual strength of the subsoil by controlling wheel/track loads and using low tyre inflation pressures. Recommendations based on quantitative guidelines for machine/soil interactions should be available for different wheel load/ground pressure combinations and soil conditions.     

Alkyl C and hydrophobicity in B and C horizons of an acid forest soil

Aliphatic C most probably derived from ester‐bound moieties was found to be present in sandy subsoil horizons. The hydrophobic nature of such compounds may increase their stabilization potential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential of aliphatic compounds in mineral soil horizons along a Dystric Cambisol profile under beech forest to increase hydrophobicity. The conceptual approach included the analyses of soil samples before and after solvent extraction and base hydrolysis for elemental and isotopic composition. Additionally, the advancing contact angle was measured to quantify hydrophobicity. Curie‐point pyrolysis GC/MS was carried out to characterize the nature of alkyl C present in subsoil samples. A close correlation between the ¹⁴C activity and the stable‐C‐isotope ratio (δ¹³C) indicates isotopic fractionation upon C stabilization in subsoils. Free lipids contributed less than 10% to the organic C found in subsoil horizons. Base hydrolysis revealed very high amounts of hydroxyalkanoic acids in the B horizons of the acid forest soil. Hydrophobicity of SOM was not found to be correlated to esterified‐ or free‐lipid content. The contact angle was in a similar range for all bulk soil horizons, suggesting greater hydrophobicity of organic matter in subsoil horizons considering their very low concentrations of organic C compared to the A horizon. The quantity and nature of pyrolysis products change with increasing depth in the soil profile. Aliphatic products cannot be detected in B and C horizons by Curie‐point pyrolysis GC/MS.     

FEM analysis of subsoil reaction on heavy wheel loads with emphasis on soil preconsolidation stress and cohesion

Heavy sugarbeet harvesters may compact subsoil. But it is very difficult to study this by field experiments that resemble agricultural practice. Therefore, an analysis was made by a finite element method (FEM) for a relevant calcaric fluvial soil profile, the mechanical properties of which were largely known. Measuring data of this Lobith loam soil includes preconsolidation stress, compression index and swelling index, all as a function of depth. Using these three types of soil parameters calculations have been done for tyre sizes, inflation pressures and wheel loads that occur with heaviest sugarbeet harvesters available on the European market in 1999. Because no values on soil cohesion were available, the calculations were done for several cohesion levels. The results include the detection of regions with Mohr–Coulomb plasticity and regions with cap plasticity (compaction hardening). For the soil studied—a typical soil strength profile for arable land with ploughpan in the Netherlands in the autumn of 1977—all studied combinations of wheel load and inflation pressure did not induce compaction in and below the ploughpan. The size of the region with Mohr–Coulomb plasticity decreased with increasing cohesion. It appeared from a sensitivity analysis that, although soil modelling may use a great number of soil parameters, the most important parameters seem to be: preconsolidation stress and cohesion. There is an urgent need for data of these parameters that are measured on a great range of subsoils and subsoil conditions.     

Subsoil compaction: risk, avoidance, identification and alleviation

This paper aims to provide guidance for field practitioners on the vulnerability of different subsoils to compaction under different field conditions and on the tyre pressures necessary to reduce or avoid damage. It also indicates ways of identifying situations where some compaction alleviation may be necessary to improve subsoil conditions and methods for alleviating subsoil compaction problems, without increasing the risk of more extensive compaction damage in the future.     

轮式和履带式车辆行走对农田土壤的压实作用分析

由履带式行走机构代替轮胎被认为是减缓大型农业车辆对土壤压实的有效手段之一。与轮胎相比,履带具有更大的接地面积,能够有效减小车辆对土壤的平均压力。然而履带与土壤接触面间的应力分布极不均匀,应力主要集中在各承重轮下方,履带减缓土壤压实的能力是目前有待研究的问题。该研究通过在土壤内埋设压力传感器,测试比较了相近载质量的轮胎和履带式车辆作用下,0.15和0.35 m深度土壤内的最大垂直及水平应力,同时研究了车辆行驶速度对土壤内垂直及水平应力大小的影响。基于土壤压实分析模型计算了轮胎和履带压实的0.1~0.7m深度土壤内的最大垂直及水平应力分布。通过对0.15和0.35 m深度的土样进行室内测试,比较了轮胎和履带式车辆压实对土壤透气率、先期固结压力及干容重大小的影响。结果表明,履带相比较于轮胎,能够减小土壤内的垂直及水平应力,但垂直应力的减小量比水平应力大;轮胎对0.15和0.35m深度土壤作用的平均最大垂直应力分别约为履带的2.2及2.0倍,而平均最大水平应力仅分别约为履带的1.2及1.1倍。轮胎作用下的最大垂直及水平应力在表层土壤内明显大于履带,但两者的应力差值随着土壤深度的增加逐渐减小,分别在0.7和0.4 m深度时无明显差别。轮胎和履带压实作用下,0.15和0.35 m深度土壤内的垂直及水平应力均随车辆行驶速度的增加而减小,履带作用下的应力减小速度大于轮胎。履带作用下0.15和0.35 m深度内土壤的透气率均明显小于轮胎,但土壤的先期固结压力及干容重无显著区别。研究结果为可为农业车辆行走机构的选择及使用提供参考。     

Compressibility of soils in a long term field experiment with intensive deep ripping in Romania

Laboratory compressibility tests were done on soil samples taken from a field experiment 21 years old, located on a Stagnic Luvisol, with deep ripping performed with various frequencies: no ripping, ripping every 8, 4 and 2 years, and ripping yearly. Precompression stress was found to increase with depth of the soil profile down to some 60 cm, and somewhat decreasing at the depth of 70–75 cm, which corresponds to the Bt horizon. Due to ripping, the values of the precompression stress decreased; for soils from experimental treatments with different periodicity of ripping operations, the differences were small, and not in a very definite direction. The estimation procedures suggested by Lebert to predict precompression stress for “normal” arable soils could not be applied to ameliorated soil samples investigated in this paper because repeated ripping prevents a continuous aggregate formation and results mainly in structural texture dependent relations. The compression index showed an increase down to 60 cm and a decrease in the Bt horizon (70–75 cm). In the different experimental treatments, it showed a less clear variation, although some trend of increasing with increased number of rippings may be considered. As inferred from these parameters, soil strength and compressibility do not affect directly crop yields.     

Estimating precompression stress of structured soils on the basis of aggregate density and dry bulk density

In soil mechanics, precompression stress is an essential parameter for estimations of the compaction risk of cultivated land. In order to determine this factor, regression equations were developed. They require various input variables of water and air regime, dry bulk density as well as the shear strength parameters c and φ. In this paper, we propose a regression model, which estimates the precompression stress from the two parameters dry bulk density (BD) and aggregate density (AD). The experiments were conducted on various structured arable soils in Germany. Altogether 25 natural soils and seven disturbed substrates were examined with three to seven replications. On all sites, precompression stress (log σ_P) was determined by means of stress–strain measurements under drained conditions and a matric potential of −6 kPa. The same samples were used for estimating the dry bulk density. Parallel to this, density measurements of aggregates with a diameter of 8–10 mm were made at a matric potential of −6 kPa. Aggregate density and dry bulk density were put into a relation (AD/BD ratio). This quotient shows the state of the inter-aggregate pore system and thus the load-support strength between the aggregates. A multiple linear regression equation of simple design allows to determine the level of precompression stress using the input variables AD/BD ratio and dry bulk density. Precompression stress rises with increasing dry bulk density. An increasing AD/BD ratio leads to a decline of precompression supposing the density values remain constant. The model produced good agreement with the measured values. The determination coefficient of the regression function was 0.84, the mean absolute error (MAE) 0.12 and the root mean square error (RMSE) 0.14. The index of agreement according to Willmot [Willmot, C.J., 1982. Some comments on the evaluation of model performance. Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc. 63 (11), 1309–1313] was 0.95.     

Simulating soil deformation using a critical-state model: II. Soil compaction beneath tyres and tracks

A critical-state finite element model was used to simulate compaction under single and dual tyres and tracks. The compaction involved deformations at three different scales, from small tyres with a contact area of about 70 cm² (single tyre) supporting a load of about 50 kg, to large tyres of about 1.2 m² (dual tyres) supporting a load of about 4500 kg. The predictions were compared with measured values for several different quantities. These included: rut depths; vertical displacement and shear strain: vertical stresses; and, void ratios and precompression stress measured on sampled soil cores. In general, the predictions and measurements agreed reasonably well. However, the agreement between prediction and measurement depended on the precision of measurements, soil disturbance, and the volume of soil involved in a measurement relative to the volume of soil influenced by the tyre or track. This study shows that the critical-state finite element model is useful, offering insight into the compaction process, the dependence of compaction on soil strength and compressibility, and practical implications for soil management.     

Stress relaxation of five different soil samples when uniaxially compacted at different water contents

The average size of rainfed and irrigated agricultural farms in Spain has grown steadily over the past two decades. This has called for the use of machinery of higher field capacity and greater weight that in turn requires a high drawbar power. All this has resulted in soil changes such as an increased compaction and compactibility. The confined uniaxial compression test was used to assess compaction and viscoelastic behavior of five soil samples from different agricultural areas of Spain. The bulk density–compression stress line was fitted to a three-parameter multiplicative compaction model and viscoelastic behavior was evaluated by means of stress-relaxation tests. The objectives were to determine to what extent the parameter coefficients of the compaction model equation and the relaxation of the stress induced in the compacted soil were influenced by the type of soil, its water content and the compression stress applied. Gravimetric water contents of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% were considered, and maximum normal stresses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 kPa were applied to the soils in a universal testing machine. The soil samples considered differed in texture, sandy loam (SL), sandy clay loam (SCL), loam (L), clay (C) and silt-loam (SiL), and organic matter content.

The slope of the bulk density-compression stress line at zero normal stress was strongly dependent on soil water content and plasticity index; whereas the slope of the curve at high applied normal stresses was influenced by soil moisture but not by soil plasticity. The viscoelastic behavior of the soils compared was dictated by their water content and plasticity index, as well as by the compression stress applied. The stress relaxation rate at time t=0 was scarcely influenced by water content. In fact, the rate remained constant over the water content range from 10 to 20% (w/w) at values that were higher than those obtained at 5 and 25% (w/w), which in turn were identical to each other. The stress-relaxation rate was also found to increase linearly with the logarithm of the compression stress. On the other hand, the residual stress decreased linearly with increasing water content. However, the latter increased linearly with compression stress. Increasing soil plasticity resulted in decreasing relaxation rate and increasing residual stress. Therefore, the more plastic the soil was the lower was the rate at which stress relaxation started and the smaller was the amount of stress dissipated.