AGROECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF MACHINE-TRACTOR UNITS BASED ON WES METODOLOGY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32718/agroengineering2025.29.48-56Keywords:
agroecology, machine–tractor unit (MTUs), soil compaction, soil hardness, penetrometer, Cone Index (CI)Abstract
The increasing use of heavy machine-tractor units (MTUs) is exacerbating the issue of excessive soil compaction in agricultural land. This highlights the urgent need for a rapid and reliable assessment of their agro-environmental performance, particularly with the advancements in terramechanics theory and instrumentation. The complexity and lengthy processes involved in evaluating the impact of MTUs on soil compaction, guided by regulatory standards established over thirty years ago, underscore the necessity for revising these methodologies. A modern approach to assessing the physical and mechanical properties of soil as a load-bearing surface, along with its interaction with MTUs, is essential.
In this context, special attention should be given to the WES methodology, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This approach has become a benchmark for NATO countries in characterizing soil and off-road properties, as well as in determining the cross-country mobility of ground vehicles. The WES methodology is based on the operational assessment of soil strength using a standardized cone penetrometer, which produces the Cone Index (CI). This is combined with a validated computational framework that predicts the passability and mobility of wheeled and tracked vehicles over unpaved terrain. Additionally, it considers secondary compaction caused by the wheels of successive axles, variations in tire inflation pressure, and other machine-specific parameters. For agricultural machinery, it is also important to consider variations in the dimensions of the front and rear wheels, as well as the dynamic redistribution of axle loads during soil tillage operations. Experimental studies using the Fendt 1038 Vario tractor, with different wheel sizes on the front and rear axles, have been conducted. These studies measured soil hardness based on the Cone Index (CI) system and tire-soil contact patches. The results revealed a strong correlation between soil hardness and soil density. A review and analysis of additional field studies containing hardness and density data for various soil types further confirmed this correlation. This information allows for proposing necessary amendments to the existing regulatory framework for the agroecological assessment of agricultural machine-tractor units, significantly accelerating the evaluation of soil physical and mechanical properties.
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