International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

This article deals with the characterization of soil using the capillary effect. The interactions between water molecules and those of a soil sample cause a liquid to flow upwards. The climbing height and rate of rise are strongly dependent on the geometric shape of the pore system of the soil sample hence these parameters can be used for soil characterization. The paper shows that capillary action is primarily responsible for cohesion in the soil, and it is therefore physically quite reasonable to use related properties for soil characterization in agricultural machinery applications. This paper presents a method to derive dimensionless key figures allowing the experiment-independent characterization of the soil sample. The aim is the computer-simulation of soil behavior for applications in agricultural technology. Calibration of Discrete Element Method (DEM) models involves matching virtual particle parameters (friction, stiffness, restitution) of the simulation model to the real soil behavior like cohesion and abrasion. Properties of the developed agricultural machineries, such as traction requirements, power consumption and wear behavior, can thus be predicted very soon in the product development process. The characterization enables an assignment of a given soil to an established set of simulation parameters. Two soil samples examined can be easily and reliably distinguished from each other using the method presented.

Granular materials are a collection of distinct macroscopic particles. Consequently soils, which are used for agricultural purposes are a part of them. In comparison with other simulation models, creating a numerical simulation with the discrete element method (DEM) for different soils prove to be difficult. The reason for this is that there are an enormous number of particles. Therefore it is not possible to reproduce every one of them. On this account, parcels are used in the numerical simulation. These are larger and also have different physical properties. However, also for the modelling of parcels characteristic variables are necessary. This variable should be determined by using the capillary effect.

Granular materials are a collection of distinct macroscopic particles. Consequently soils, which are used for agricultural purposes are a part of them. In comparison with other simulation models, creating a numerical simulation with the discrete element method (DEM) for different soils prove to be difficult. The reason for this is that there are an enormous number of particles. Therefore it is not possible to reproduce every one of them. On this account, parcels are used in the numerical simulation. These are larger and also have different physical properties. However, also for the modelling of parcels characteristic variables are necessary. This variable should be determined by using the capillary effect.