OPTIMIZATION AND TESTING OF A SUBSOILING BLADE FOR RUPTURING COMPACTED SOIL LAYERS USING THE DISCRETE ELEMENT METHOD
基于离散元法的破裂板结层深松铲优化设计与试验
DOI : https://doi.org/10.35633/inmateh-78-21
Authors
Abstract
To address severe soil compaction, high draft, and low subsoiling efficiency in saline–alkali soils, we designed a soil-breaking subsoiling shovel aimed at reducing draft and improving soil comminution. A discrete element method (DEM) soil model with graded particle sizes was established using the Hertz–Mindlin contact with JKR adhesion, and simulation analyses were combined with an orthogonal experimental design to optimize the shovel’s structural parameters and operating conditions. The optimal combination—blade edge angle 56.97°, blade inclination 44.45°, and forward speed 0.69 m·s⁻¹—yielded a simulated draft of 2731.74N and a maximum particle velocity of 2.75 m·s⁻¹. Field tests at 0.69 m·s⁻¹ measured a draft of 2885.62N, within a 4.49% relative error of the simulation, indicating high predictive reliability. The mean soil comminution rate reached 57.79%, 64.5% above the conservation-tillage threshold (≥35%). These results verify the shovel’s usability and efficiency: the proposed mechanical design reduces draft while substantially enhancing soil fragmentation, and the overall operating performance meets agronomic requirements for saline–alkali land improvement, offering an effective and innovative solution for improving soil structure.
Abstract in Chinese



