Soil Reacting Forces from Field Measurements with Sweeps

Abstract

ABSTRACT Afield experiment was conducted using commercially available sweeps for heavy dury cultivators to deter-mine the effect of differences on the implement's operation. The experiment was conducted with single sweeps mounted on a multi component sensor. A split-plot factorial design was used, with three tilling sites in the main plots and the lift, thickness, depth, and speed of the sweep with and without overlap in the sub-plots. The results indicate that a low lift sweep should be used. Similarly, a thin sweep should be used unless wear, stone damage or both are costly. Deep tillage levies a cost penalty because of the large draft. The lateral reaction of the overlapped sweep is suf-ficient to cause appreciable skewing of the asymmetrical patterned cultivator when penetration is difficult. Soil in contact with the sweep affects its geometry altering the location of the resultant of the soil reacting forces.