Simulation of Compaction Behavior of Arable Soil by Finite Element Method with Mohr-Columb and Drucker-Prager Models

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.

10.22084/best.2025.31612.1012

Abstract

Farm soil density affects the energy consumption of agricultural machinery and implements, root growth, and thus crop yield. Pre-compaction stress is one of the most important criteria for assessing soil compaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the compaction behavior of a crop soil with sandy, clayey, and loamy textures during two tests of plate sinkage and compactness and They were simulated with Mohr-Columb and Drucker-Prager numerical models to evaluate the stress distribution and displacement in the depth and width of different soil layers and to predict soil compaction stress. During the experimental tests, the stress-displacement diagram of the soil compaction tests was drawn, and the pre-compression stress was determined by the Alexandro and Eral method from the plate subsidence test. The results showed that Drager-Prager and Mohr-Columb models with 99 and 98% explanation coefficient, respectively, were in good agreement with the data obtained from experimental experiments. The study of stress distribution and displacement in soil depth showed that the amount of stress and displacement in the layers close to the loading plate increased more, and the amount of stress and displacement decreased by moving to deeper layers. The simulation results also showed that the amount of stress across each layer of soil decreased with distance from the center of the loading axis. In the high-depth plate sinkage test, the depth stress distribution is almost fixed and negligible, while in the plate sinkage test and enclosed compaction (together), the amount of depth stress in the soil was fixed and stable. This indicates that the soil is compacted.

Keywords

References

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Biosystems Engineering and Sustainable Technologies
Volume 1, Issue 2
December 2025
Pages 51-60

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