Design and Experiment of an

On-the-go Soil Mechanical

Resistance System
Zheng Jie, Zhang Miao and Chen Ming
 INTRODUCTION
• Soil compaction has been considered as one of the
factors that reduce crop production.
• Excessive soil compaction increases runoff and
erosion, reduces aeration, accelerates potential
pollution, and poor development of roots will
occur.
• The traditional method were measuring dry soil
bulk density, dry bulk specific volume, void ratio,
and porosity ( Johnson and Bailey.,2002 ).
• Therefore, indirect measurements related to soil
compactness are frequently performed instead.
 INTRODUCTION
• Now the standardized method ( ASABE
Standards, 2006a ) is using a cone penetrometer
consisted of a rod with a 30°cone-shaped tip.
• The inserting speed is 3cm/s.
• The ratio of this force to the area of the cone base
is called the cone index ( CI ).
• The CI is used for assessing the degree and
variability of soil compaction.
• However, when we need to map the production
field, the method becomes labor-demanding
 INTRODUCTION
• Lui designed a multi-sensor device which is
used to continuously detect the soil mechanical
resistance ( Lui et al.,1996 ).
• A vertical blade with multiple strain gages
mounted on a tractor equipped with a GPS was
developed.
• It can simultaneously measure soil mechanical
resistance continuously with several depths.
• The correlation coefficient between the measured
value of the device and the standard cone
measurement was 0.95 ( Adamchuk et al.,2001 ).
 INTRODUCTION
• Sirjacobs designed a system that uses
octagonal ring sensors as force-sensing
elements.
• Measuring the horizontal force, vertical
force and bending moment of the soil
tillage tool simultaneous.
• The correlation coefficient between the
cone index and the three measured
parameters is 0.81 ( Sirjacobs et al.,2002 ).
 INTRODUCTION
• An Integrated Soil Physical Properties Mapping
System ( ISPPMS ) was developed.
• It was comprised of an optical sensor, a capacitance
sensor, and an instrumented blade.
• The system was used to determine parameters of a
second‐ order polynomial model representing the
change of soil mechanical resistance with depth.
• However, based on field evaluation, it was concluded
that in most cases the second‐ order coefficient was
not significant.
• Therefore, the assumption of a linear relationship may
be appropriate ( Adamchuk and Christenson., 2005 ).
 INTRODUCTION
• A set of continuous testing system
consisting of subsoiling shovel and strain
gages had also been developed.
• Spatial variability and fractal characters of
soil mechanical resistance were examined.
• The correlation coefficient between the
measured value of the system and the
standard cone measurement was 0.78-0.96
( Xia et al.,2006 ).
 INTRODUCTION

• Zhao et al. designed a equipment with a test

knife and an octagonal ring sensor to test the
soil cultivation resistance.
• The system performance is stable and reliable,
and the average test accuracy of the sensor is
93.4%.
• But there are some problems that the resistance
can only be measured at the same depth and the
test knife is easy to be damaged ( Zhao et
al.,2009 )
 INTRODUCTION

• On-the-go measurement of soil

parameters was carried out using soil
moisture content, electrical conductivity
and the results showed that the mechanical
resistance sensor has good static response
in calibration( Sheng et al.,2010 )
 INTRODUCTION
• A tillage resistance measurement system
composing of traction equipment ，
subsoiling shovel ， sensor ， strain
gauge and computer was designed.
• Through static calibration, the system’s
linearity, retardation and linear retardation
were all within 1% ( Zhen et al., 2011).
 Objectives
1. develop a system consisted of subsoiling shovel,
pressure transducer for on-the-go soil mechanical
resistance using a linear depth effect model, and
2. evaluate the system's performance in the laboratory
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Theoretical Basis

• When the farm implements move forward in the

soil, the system will be affected by the soil
mechanical resistance.
• The small deformation will be occurred on the
subsoil shovel.
• There are three sets of strain gauge bridges
attached on it.
• The force will be converted into a weak voltage
signal.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Theoretical Basis

• The output weak voltage signal will be amplified

by the signal amplifier then input to the data
acquisition card.
• Due to the effect of the moment, the pressure
sensor installed between the subsoil shovel and
the suspending implement will also be affected
by the soil mechanical resistance.
• The output voltage also need to be amplified and
collected.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Theoretical Basis

•  For sensors, there is a common equation,

Where,
is the amplied voltage value of output ( V )
is the coefficient of variation ( V/kN )
is the force value ( kN)
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Theoretical Basis

• For longitudinal symmetric tools, such as subsoiling shovel, forces are

defined as a plane force system.
• The sensor can be used to calculate the value of horizontal force Fx , vertical
force Fy and bending moment MT.
• Research shows that the horizontal components account for the largest
proportion of the resistance components.
• So determining the horizontal resistance Fx whose direction is in the opposite
with the heading direction is the key part.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Theoretical Basis

• The simplified equivalent

diagram of the entire system is
shown in Figure 1
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Theoretical Basis

•  Equation below contains some influencing factors of soil mechanical

resistance, such as the tilling speed, the tillage depth, and so on.

Where,
is the soil surface mechanical resistance ( N )
is the force of the pressure sensor ( N )
is the ith depth force of the strain gauges( N )
is the distance between the frame and the soil surface ( cm )
is the forward speed ( km/h )
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Theoretical Basis

• Therefore, there is a need to consider the impact of the tilling deep and the
speed on soil mechanical resistance measurement.
• Soil moisture content affects the farming soil quality, the energy consumption
of farming machinery, but it also related to the growth and development of
crop roots.
• According to the above theoretical analysis, the main environmental factors
affecting soil mechanical resistance are the depth of subsoiling shovel, the
speed of tractor and the soil moisture
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Design

Measurement unit
• Soil mechanical resistance is fluctuant and random during
tillage.
• Its magnitude is mainly related to soil strength and working
conditions.
• The determination of the value of mechanical resistance in
the same working conditions under the same circumstances
can be used to evaluate differences in soil strength.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Design

Measurement unit
• In the system, it has two parts of measurement
unit: the pressure sensor and three sets of strain
gauges as shown in the figure.
• When the subsoiling shovel move forward in the
soil, the tip is the first part under the press. Then
the mechanical resistance make the strain gauges
sense the tiny deformation of the subsoiling
shovel.
• Through the leverage of force, transform the soil
mechanical resistance to the pressure sensor.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Design

Mechanical unit
• The system consists of tractor, subsoiling shovel,
strain gauges, pressure sensor, signal
conditioner, data acquisition card which is
shown in the figure.
• The signal conditioner is DMD4059 (OMEGA).
• Where the data acquisition interface is written by
Microsoft Visual Studio.
• The data acquisition card is USB2610 of smacq.
The strain gauges is 350Ω (Vishay)
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Design

Mechanical unit
• The pressure sensor is HBM C9C whose range is 10kN and
the nominal (rated) sensitivity is 1.5 mV/V.
• The parameter of subsoiling shovel is according with the
national level which could got from the agricultural
machinery market.
• The subsoiling shovel was attached to three-point linkage of
the agricultural tractor.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Design

Circuit unit
• The strain gauges were configured in the full Wheatstone
bridge which can achieve temperature self-compensation,
increase the circuit sensitivity to strain pressure.
• DC input voltage, DC output voltage
• There are two strain gauges installed in the pressure
direction, the other two installed in the compensation
direction.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Design

Circuit unit
• The full Wheatstone bridge circuit is shown in the figure.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Design

Circuit unit
• Assuming that the resistance change values were
ΔR1,ΔR2,ΔR3,ΔR4, the output of the full-bridge circuit is
shown in the equation.
  𝑅1+ Δ 𝑅1 𝑅 2+ Δ 𝑅2
𝑈 𝑜𝑢𝑡 =𝑈 𝑖𝑛 𝑥 −𝑈 𝑖𝑛 𝑥
( 𝑅 1 + Δ 𝑅 1) +( 𝑅 4 − Δ 𝑅 4 ) ( 𝑅2 + Δ 𝑅 2 )+( 𝑅3 − Δ 𝑅3 )
• The relationship between the force and the output voltage
could be confirmed after the laboratory calibration test.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Laboratory Calibration

Pressure sensor
• The sensing unit concluded the pressure
sensor and three sets of strain gages.
• Limited by the calibration device, the
calibration experiment of the pressure
sensor was conducted in the laboratory of
mechanics in China Agricultural
University as in the figure.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Laboratory Calibration

Pressure sensor
• The electromechanical universal testing machine is CMT5105 whose range is
100kN.
• The applied force could be precisely controlled by the computer.
• The initial value was the output value when the system is not under pressure.
• When the experiment was carrying, the force is applied in increments of 200N in
the range of 0N-5kN.
• Then the force decreased from 5kN-0N with the decrements of 200N.
• Repeated three times.
• Then we can conclude the relationship between the output voltage and the applied
force
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Laboratory Calibration

Strain gauges
• To validate the performance of the three sets of
strain gauges, the system was mounted
horizontally, and different loads were applied at
the shovel tip.
• A simple structure was made to confirm the
force was applied at the point as in the figure.
• The measured values of strain gages was also
used to confirm the linear relationship between
the voltage and the force, as soon as the
relationship with different depth.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Evaluation Experiment

• The experiment was conducted at the intelligent agricultural

machinery soil laboratory of China Agricultural University.
• The effective measuring length of the experimental soil groove is
20 meters.
• The soil groove was divided into three test lines.
• While the machine speed is 1.5km/h, each test line corresponds to
20cm, 25cm, 30cm.
• The machine speed and the tilling depth were both controlled by
the host computer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Evaluation Experiment
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Evaluation Index

•  In statistics, there are many index, such as absolute error (AE),
relative error (RE), the root-mean-square error (RMSE).
• AE is defined as the magnitude of difference between the actual
value x and the measured value x*. Then if the AE is no more than
100N is qualified

• RE refers to the value by multiplying the ratio between the AE and

the measured true value, expressed as a percentage.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
System Evaluation Index

•  In general, the RE reflects the credibility of the measurement

better.
• The RE cannot be larger than 15%.
• RMSE represents the sample standard deviation of the differences
between predicted values and observed values.

• It can illustrate the degree of dispersion of the sample.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Pressure sensor
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Pressure sensor
 Results and
Discussion
Pressure sensor

• From table 1, the absolute

errors are between 0.002-
0.097 kN .
• The relative errors are
between 0.04%- 12.17%.
The maximum relative
error is 43.62% when the
applied force is only
0.2kN.
• The relative error is
decreased with the applied
force increasing.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Strain gauges

• For strain gauges, different force were applied at the tip such as
108N, 304N, 500N, 696N, 892N.
• The three sets of strain gauges were configured in three different
depth.
• The 1st strain gauges is in 180mm, the 2nd strain gauges is in
270mm, the 3rd strain gauges is in 358mm ( the distance is between
the strain gauges center and the shovel tip ).
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Strain gauges

 • The relationship between the applied force and the output voltage is
shown in the equation
 Results and
Discussion
Strain gauges

• The correlation
coefficient of the
three sets of strain
gages is 0.99, 0.99,
0.97, respectively.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Strain gauges
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Strain gauges
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Strain gauges

• The relative error is 0.53%-14.09%, 0.79%-10.75%, 0.40%-

28.73%, respectively.
• The maximum relative error was occured when the applied force is
only 108N.
• The root-mean-square error mainly around 6N, 4N, 12N.
• All three sets of strain gauges are in good condition. The strain
gages accurately produce corresponding deformation with the force
changed, then the output voltage also changed.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
System evaluation experiment

• Since the sampling

frequency is 100 Hz, the
average value of the data
was collected.
• The relatively smooth and
stable part is taken for
analysis.
• Collect 97 groups of data
from the stable part with the
tillage depth of 20 cm and
30 cm at 1.5km/h shown as
Fig 12.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
System evaluation experiment
 CONCLUSION
• In this study, a linear model was designed for a self-developed soil
mechanical resistance system.
• Experiments were conducted to verify the feasibility of the system.
• Following conclusions could be made:
1. (The on-the-go soil mechanical resistance system could realize the
measurement accurately. The relative errors are between 0.04%-12.17%,
0.53%-14.09%, 0.79%-10.75%, 0.40%-28.73%, respectively. The
deviation is no more than ± 5%.
2. The self-design system need further field testing and the software
simulation to improve the linear model