SOIL FAILURE AND ITS APPLICATION TO VIBRATING TILLAGE TOOL

The effect of loading speed on soil failure was studied by using a high speed triaxial compression test. Tests were conducted at 0.35-6.2m/s loading speed to compress soil specimens of sandy loam at different moisture contents. The axial stress at fracture increased with increase in loading speed up to certain critical speeds, however they decreased as the speed up to certain critical speeds, however they decreased as the speed increased further. Experiments were also conducted in the field of sandy loam soil with the vibrating tillage tool. Tests were done at 0.33-0.85m/s tractor speed oscillating frequency 13.7hz and oscillating amplitude 59mm. The maximum oscillating velocity of tillage tool was 2.5m/s. It was observed that for the oscillating operation, initially draft slightly increased with increase in forward speed and then it decreased .For the non-oscillating operation, draft increased continuously with increase in forward speed. Approach of studying soil failure in the laboratory test can be related to the field experiments.