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

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.