Abstract
Increasing machine size requires improved efficiency in the design of the undercarriage systems to reduce its potential effects on soil compaction. This chapter reports on an in-depth investigation of tires and tracks on soil compaction to explore the potential of modern undercarriage gear in minimizing soil compaction, i.e. soil density increase. The study was conducted in laboratory conditions in a sandy loam soil with tire loads from 4.5 to 10.5 t, and track loads from 10.5 to 12 t at Cranfield University, Silsoe, and published by Ansorge and Godwin (Ansorge D, Godwin RJ (2007) The effect of tires and a rubber track at high axle loads on soil compaction, Part 1: Single axle studies. Biosystems Engineering 98(1): 115–126; Ansorge D, Godwin RJ (2008) The effect of tires and a rubber track at high axle loads on soil compaction, Part 2: Multi-axle machine studies. Biosystems Engineering 99(3): 338–347).
Using talcum powder lines embedded in the soil during soil bin preparation to trace soil displacement it was shown that soil displacement and hence soil compaction could be minimized using rubber tracks. The benefit of the rubber track system with respect to soil displacement was maintained after the passage of the subsequent axle when considering half track systems, as for example mounted on combine harvesters. This was due to the lateral soil movement caused by the rubber track within the surface 150 mm creating a pathway which was able to support the following tires.
The results were confirmed with field measurements using whole machines, whereby soil displacement was determined using fishing hooks as tracers, as they provided a means to cause little disturbance to the initial soil conditions in the field but would respond to vertical soil movement during the passage of a tire or track.
Hence, the work from Ansorge and Godwin contributed significant results to the discussion on the benefits of rubber track systems vs. wheeled undercarriage systems with respect to the increase in soil density.
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Acknowledgements
The authors want to thank the CLAAS Company, Harsewinkel, Germany, for its support and Gordon Spoor for useful suggestions concerning the work. Thanks must go to Prof. Kutzbach from the University of Hohenheim for enabling Dirk Ansorge to participate in the Double Degree Program under which these parts of the study were conducted. The help from Prof. Piepho from the University of Hohenheim in analyzing the data statistically was very valuable.
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Ansorge, D., Godwin, R.J. (2010). Soil Density Increases resulting from Alternative Tire and Rubber Track Configurations in Laboratory and Field Conditions. In: Dedousis, A., Bartzanas, T. (eds) Soil Engineering. Soil Biology, vol 20. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03681-1_6
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