Abstract:

Soil compaction is an important physical limiting factor for the root growth and plant emergence and is one of the major causes for reduced crop yield worldwide. The objective of this study was to generate 2D/3D soil compaction maps for different depth layers of the soil. To do so, a soil penetrometer was designed, which was mounted on the three-point hitch of an agricultural tractor, consisting of a mechanical system, data acquisition system (DAS), and 2D/3D imaging and analysis software. The system was successfully tested in field conditions, measuring soil penetration resistances as a function of depth from 0 to 40 cm at 1 cm intervals. The software allows user to either tabulate the measured quantities or generate maps as soon as data collection has been terminated. The system may also incorporate GPS data to create geo-referenced soil maps. The software enables the user to graph penetration resistances at a specified coordinate. Alternately, soil compaction maps could be generated using data collected from multiple coordinates. The data could be automatically stratified to determine soil compaction distribution at different layers of 5, 10,.…, 40 cm depths. It was concluded that the system tested in this study could be used to assess the soil compaction at topsoil and the randomly distributed hardpan formations just below the common tillage depths, enabling visualization of spatial variability through the imaging software.
 

 


Features:

500 Kg. IP68 TSC Model Loadcell Connected (16 Bit ADC).
Possibility of taking on 8 Bit ADC according to diameter.
Temperature measurement range : -55 - 125 ºC.
With Control Inputs, Start and stop selection; With Balance Inputs, Guiding by DAS Program.
With Control Outputs, it is possible to control a motor, selenoid valve or electrical tool.
A RS232 Interface for communicating with a Pentium PC.

Sensor Features:

Nominal weight 500 Kg.
IP 68 Loadcell- Closed type
Hanging system
Excition voltage 10 VDC
Full scale output voltage 2 ± % 0.1 mV
Creep % 0.02
Temperature of execution –20 – +80 ° C
Input Resist 380 ± 20 ohm
Output resist 350 ± 20 ohm
Extension cable 5 m.
Minimum measurement range 0.8 Kg.
Progressing range 0.12 ° / mm.
Minimum progressing voltage 1.4 mV / °
Working at noisy and shaky places
Specifications of A/D SHMM Data Acqusition Card
0-1.28 V full scale Analog input voltage 16 Bit
Developing possibility
200 KSPS speed.
3 Channels 10 Amper 250VAC 
3 Channel external 0-5 VDC ON/OFF input
220VAC voltage
Connecting to temperature reader sensor between -55 - +125 °C