Biological Systems Engineering

 

Date of this Version

7-2006

Citation

An ASABE Meeting Presentation, Paper Number: 061056

Written for presentation at the 2006 ASABE Annual International Meeting Sponsored by ASABE Oregon Convention Center Portland, Oregon

Comments

Used by permission.

Abstract

A stand-alone electro-mechanical system with a 32-inch disc coulter was developed and tested to identify soil compaction in a 1-acre field located at the University of Kentucky Animal Research Center (UKARC). The system was evaluated by making four passes in the square grid cell. With the aid of hydraulic actuation, the coulter oscillated between depths of 100mm (4-in) and 330mm (13-in) as it moved forward and recorded the vertical impedance force given by the soil continuously. Forty standard soil cone penetrometer measurements along the diagonals to a depth of 400mm (16-in) were taken and the average cone indices (MPa) at different depths for the entire grid cell were compared to the average coulter indices (CuI(N/mm), defined as the penetration force divided by the perimeter of the coulter disc in contact with soil) at corresponding depths. Ten soil bulk density measurements were taken at depths of (100,150,200,250,300mm) per each grid cell and averaged. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and coefficient of determination (r2) were found to be 0.716 and 0.51between CuI and CI respectively. The depth and spatial locations of maximum vertical impedance force and maximum CuI were determined.

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