A framework for earthmoving blade/soil model development

This paper presents a framework for earthmoving blade/soil model development that combines the advantages of both the analytical and numerical methods. This framework greatly expands the limitations of traditional analytically formulated models and can be effectively used to tackle the technical issues that are faced with complex dozing. This model has a lot of new capabilities compared to other models that can be found in the open literatures. Some of the new capabilities are (1) it is a three-dimensional model and is able to account for the tilted and angled blade operations on different terrain conditions: level, uphill, and downhill; (2) uneven cutting can be effectively handled by the proposed model; (3) the transient soil piling, spillage process, and earthmoving productivity can be predicted and animated; (4) the forces and moments can be predicted as well as their centroids; (5) the cutting soil volumetric expansion and transient surcharge effect on resultant forces and moments acting on blade are well established; (6) many systematic relationships involving the dynamic dozing are well established through this framework. Numerical examples and qualitative validations are provided to demonstrate and verify the capabilities of this newly developed framework.     

The inception and evolution of earthmoving soil mechanics

Soil and test conditions important to earthmoving machinery have been found to be significantly different from all other fields of endeavour with the partial exception of tillage studies. This could be the subject of a long dissertation. Broadly, however, soil conditions which produce critical mobility problems are much too soft and/or wet to be of concern to the earthmoving contractor who has to meet rigid specifications on acceptable types and moisture contents of fill soils. Occasional soft spots are considered as nuisances instead of indicators of the need for major design compromises.

Civil engineers are concerned with the same types of soil, but in a vastly different context. They must design soil structures which will never reach initial soil failure. Earthmoving processes, on the other hand, must accept soil failures in many different forms and degrees and utilize post-failure soil strength to perform their tasks efficiently.

Tillage studies display many important similarities to earthmoving studies, particularly in regard to the types of soil failures of importance. They are, in reality, merely another form of earthmoving; by definition, if nothing more. Earthmoving processes can range into much stronger soils, but this alone is insufficient to set them apart.

The term Earthmoving Soil Mechanics was introduced in 1962⁽²⁰⁾. This paper more clearly defines the implications of the new terminology and illustrates the first successful application of soil mechanics and model analysis principles in the earthmoving industry.     

The cutting of soil by narrow blades

The available models for predicting the forces acting on a narrow soil cutting blade have required separate measurements of the shape of the three-dimensional soil failure pattern ahead of the blade. It is proposed that a three-dimensional model consisting of straight line failure patterns in the soil can be used to predict both the draft forces and the volume of soil disturbed in front of a narrow blade. Limit equilibrium mechanics equations are written for the soil wedges in terms of an unknown angle of the failure zone and the theoretical draft force is minimized with respect to this angle. Force factors are thus found which are of the type to fit Reece's general earthmoving equation, but which vary with the width to depth ratio of the blade as well as with the rake angle of the blade and the friction angle of the soil. In addition the approximate geometry of the three-dimensional failure pattern in the soil is predicted for varying blade shapes and soil strengths. This allows the design of simple tools on the basis of their draft force requirements and their soil cutting efficiency. The draft force predictions and failure geometry calculations are shown to have considerable verification by experimental results.     

A dynamic model for soil cutting by blade and tine

A dynamic model for soil cutting resistance prediction by blade and tine was developed, taking account of shear rate effects both on soil shear strength and soil-metal friction, besides the conventional soil slice inertia, for both brittle and flow failure of soil. The model was verified with a series of tests in a soil bin with a blade and a tine, and the results were acceptable.     

A review on traction prediction equations

A variety of methods, ranging from theoretical to empirical, which have been proposed for predicting and measuring soil-vehicle interaction performance are reviewed. A single wheel tyre testing facility at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, was used to check the applicability of the most widely used traction models, for tyres used in Indian soil conditions. Finally, the coefficients of traction prediction equations developed by Brixius [16] were modified to fit traction data obtained from the testing of the tyres in the Indian soil conditions.     

Earthmoving in minature

This paper has described a similitude approach to earthmoving, using small-scale models based on a dimensional analysis with certain simplifying assumptions. An earthmoving mechanics laboratory has been developed, with facilities for testing two sizes of models.

Despite the variability of real soils, and the complexity of the soil action during earthmoving processes, the somewhat idealized model tests are useful and exceedingly realistic. Models yield design information that is not available by any other means. Full-scale testing is still needed for final evaluation of an actual machine.     

全断面隧道掘进机分类及其应用范围(英文)

目前,隧道掘进机的机械化及自动化水平得到了很大提高,隧道掘进机可以开挖不同的地质条件下各种形状的隧道。隧道掘进机的类型也越来越多,根据隧道工程场地所处的水文地质与工程地质条件,工程的使用特性及环境的限制,不同类型的隧道掘进机的工作机理需要进一步的理解并依此进行分类,以便选择合适的隧道掘进机。本文介绍了各种类型的全断面隧道掘进机的运行机理,并根据最终开挖隧道断面,掌子面的支护类型及岩土体的破碎机理对全断面隧道掘进机进行分类。本文也总结了各类型的隧道掘进机的应用范围。使用者可根据地质条件及特殊需要对隧道掘进机进行初步的选型。     

Mathematical models for soil displacement under a rigid wheel

Soil–wheel interaction especially soil deformation caused by the wheel motion was investigated experimentally using a sophisticated soil bin test apparatus and an on-line measurement system for soil displacement. Based on these test results, characteristics of soil deformation were summarized focusing on the behavior and distribution of displacement increment vectors. Mathematical models were examined in order to describe the displacements of soil particles. Properties of the displacement loci are described. The magnitude of the displacement increment vector, its horizontal and vertical components are discussed, and characteristics of these distributions with respect to the relative horizontal distance from the vertical centerline of the wheel to the target point are clarified. Shapes of these distribution curves were closely similar to those of the derivatives of a Gaussian function. A distribution curve of the horizontal displacement increment had two peaks and that of the vertical one had three peaks. Based on the results, mathematical models for those displacement increments were proposed by employing a Gaussian function through multiplication of a linear function and a quadratic function. Predicted distributions and displacement loci of the models agreed with high accuracy to the measured values. The mathematical models were extended taking into consideration the wheel slip. The predicted distributions according to test conditions agreed very well to the measured results.     

Investigation of elemental shape for 3D DEM modeling of interaction between soil and a narrow cutting tool

Discrete Element Method (DEM) has been applied in recent studies of soil cutting tool interactions in terramechanics. Actual soil behavior is well known to be inexpressible by simple elemental shapes in DEM, such as circles for 2D or spheres for 3D because of the excessive rotation of elements. To develop a more effective model for approximating real soil behavior by DEM, either the introduction of a rolling resistance moment for simple elemental shape or the combination of simple elements to form a complex model soil particle shape cannot be avoided. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of elemental shape on the cutting resistance of soil by a narrow blade using 3D DEM. Six elemental shapes were prepared by combining unit spheres of equal elemental radius. Moreover, cutting resistance was measured in a soil bin filled with air-dried sand to collect comparative data. The elemental shape, with an axial configuration of three equal spheres overlapped with each radius, showed similar results of soil cutting resistance to those obtained experimentally for the six elemental shapes investigated.     

3D Dynamic analysis of soil–tool interaction using the finite element method

Previous experimental and finite element studies have shown the influence of both soil initial conditions and blade operating conditions on cutting forces. However, most of these finite element analyses (FEA) are limited to small blade displacements to reduce element distortion which can cause solution convergence problems. In this study a dynamic three-dimensional FEA of soil–tool interaction was carried out based on predefined failure surfaces to investigate the effect of cutting speed and angle on cutting forces over large blade displacements. Sandy soil was considered in this study and modeled using the hypoplastic constitutive model implemented in the commercial FEA package, ABAQUS. Results reveal the validity of the concept of predefined failure surfaces in simulating soil–tool interaction and the significant effect of cutting acceleration on cutting forces.     

Ability of clay fill to support construction plant

Good ground conditions are required for the operation of modern earthmoving plants due to the higher contact pressures imposed by them on the supporting surface. The maximum allowable contact pressure has been arrived at by a simplified theory based on the bearing capacity of clay soils. From these considerations it appears that standards earthmoving tyres with inflation pressures of greater than 50 lb/in² should be used only on stiff or strong clays, but for firm clays it is necessary to reduce the inflation pressures to between 25 and 50 lb/in², depending on the shear strength of the soil. It would also seem desirable to replace the standard wheels on a particular plant with larger wheels capable of carrying the load under lower inflation pressures.     

Constitutive model for high speed tillage using narrow tools

Dynamic effects on soil–tool cutting forces are important when operating at elevated speeds. The rate-dependent behavior of narrow tillage tools was investigated in this study. A hypoelastic soil constitutive relationship with variable Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio was developed to describe the dynamic soil-tool cutting problem. An initial finite element formulation with viscous components incorporated in the stiffness matrix resulted in severe numerical oscillations. A modified model that incorporated lumped viscous components in the equation of motion (independent of the stiffness matrix) was proposed. Numerical oscillations still occurred, but at sufficiently high tool displacements (1–10 mm) to enable the determination of peak draft forces. Experimental data for flat and triangular edged narrow tools were obtained using a 9-m long linear monorail system designed to accelerate narrow tools through a linear soil bin to high speeds. Steady-state speeds from 0.5 to 10.0 m/s over a distance of 1 to 3 m were attained using this system. A reference-tool inverse procedure was used to estimate the dynamic soil parameter in the soil model using draft data obtained for the flat tool. Predictions of triangular tool draft produced correct trends but overestimated experimental data. Draft was overpredicted by less than 1% at a tool speed of 2.8 m/s and by 25% at 8.4 m/s.     

Force and pressure distribution under vibratory tillage tool

Experiments were conducted to study the force requirement and pressure distribution under vibratory tillage tools in a soil bin with a sandy loam soil. The tool was oscillated sinusoidally in the direction of soil bin travel. An octagonal ring transducer and pressure sensors were used to measure the forces and soil pressure on the blade. The tool was operated at oscillating frequency of 4.5–15.6 Hz and amplitude of 11–26 mm. The soil bin travel speed was varied from 0.05 to 0.224 m/s. The test results obtained showed both the horizontal force and the vertical force decreased with increase in oscillating frequency. The normal pressure on the blade surface varied considerably. The peak normal pressure was found to increase with increase in oscillating frequency, oscillating amplitude and soil bin travel speed. The change in average normal pressure with change in oscillating frequency and amplitude was also investigated.     

一种准确度高的土工测试数据拟合新方法

针对目前岩土工程土工测试数据处理方法的不足,给出了一种能够减少端点导数误差的三次样条拟合方法.三次样条函数拟合是曲线拟合的一个公认的较好方法,它具有很好的分段光滑性.但当端点的导数值无法精确得到时,会给样条拟合的准确性带来较大的影响.为了尽量减少这种误差的出现,本文提出先用多项式函数对前、后各一小部分测量数据点进行拟合后,再对函数求导,得到所需端点导数带入三次样条函数,最终得到更加准确的拟合结果.采用文中建立的拟合方法,对地基沉降实测数据进行分析,拟合结果表明本文方法的工程适用性强、拟合准确度高.     

A non-linear 3-D finite element analysis of soil failure with tillage tools

A non-linear 3-D finite element model was developed to study the soil failure under a narrow tillage blade. The weighted residual method was applied to formulate the finite element model. The Duncan and Chang hyperbolic stress-strain model was used in the analysis. This finite element model also takes into account friction at the soil-tool interface, and progressive and continuous cutting. A FORTRAN program was written to carry out the finite element analysis. The results provided soil forces, a progressive developed failure zone, displacement field and stress distribution along the tool surface. Tillage were conducted in the laboratory soil bin to verify soil forces from the finite element analysis. The comparison between the results from the finite element model and those from the soil bin tests was reasonably good.     

Method and apparatus for on-line estimation of soil parameters during excavation

Time-varying forces from soil–machine interactions cause stresses in the components of earthmoving machinery, which may cause damage to the machine. It is not always possible to know all the characteristics of a soil sample prior to excavation; however, by estimating necessary soil parameters, it is possible to predict the soil–machine interaction forces in a practical manner. This article presents the development of a simple apparatus and method for estimating the soil parameters from the cutting force measured by the novel bench-scale excavating tool, validation of the soil model, and comparison with other available techniques. The apparatus used to collect data of soil forces on a tool consists of an instrumented crank-slider mechanism equipped with a thin plate to fragment the soil, which is contained in a sample box. Using the Mohr-Coulomb earth pressure model to predict failure force during the interaction, two methods are used to minimize the error between the predicted and measured failure force, that allows to estimate soil parameters: First, the Newton–Raphson Method (NRM) is used to minimize the error, which allows estimation of two soil parameters (interface friction angles) on non-cohesive soil samples. Additionally, a new estimation scheme based on the NRM is presented, that uses an auxiliary equation, and allows estimation of up to three soil parameters, including interface friction angles and cohesion. Comparing the results obtained from the presented apparatus, it is confirmed that the friction angles are successfully estimated for two non-cohesive particulate materials. Additionally, it is shown that the new scheme demonstrates smaller error in estimating soil parameters for cohesive and non-cohesive soil samples than previously reported methods. The parameter estimation method is subsequently applied to determine the properties of highly cohesive oil sand, and delivers promising results.     

利用强夯模拟试验研究饱和砂土强夯动本构关系

饱和土是孔隙中充满水的松散介质, 在强夯冲击荷载作用下的变形是非线性变形, 因此, 饱和土强夯动本构关系有其特殊性。本文利用具有 90年代先进水平高精度、高灵敏度的MTS810土动三轴仪对强夯加固饱和土地基进行了全面、系统的模拟试验, 试验按模型比设计, 试验条件与实际土体工况符合, 通过多组不同条件的组合试验, 获得了大量强夯数据, 在此基础上结合强夯现场试验对强夯过程中各种变量的变化过程及其相互关系进行了分析研究, 推导出强夯冲击荷载作下饱和土的动本构关系, 对强夯作用下土体动本构关系问题作出了有益的探索。     

Creating 3D models of tractor tire footprints using close-range digital photogrammetry

Close-range digital photogrammetry is utilized to construct the 3D models of an agricultural tire footprint. These models were then analyzed to obtain the tire footprint depth, area and volume. The procedure of using the photogrammetry technique for developing 3D models of a tire footprint on soil as well as an assessment of the accuracy of the 3D models are discussed in this paper. Testing was conducted using a tractor tire in a large soil bin in a lab to generate a single tire footprint along with a rolling tire test to simulate a longer tire rut. Our experiments showed that the close-range digital photogrammetry provides an efficient and accurate method to assess the depth and volume of the tire footprint in soil.     

Numerical simulation and testing verification of the interaction between track and sandy ground based on discrete element method

Tractive effort of tracked vehicles plays an important role in military and agricultural fields. In order to solve the problem of low precision in numerical simulation of the interaction between track and sandy ground, a systematic and accurate discrete element modeling method for sandy road was proposed. The sandy ground was modeled according to the mechanical parameters measured by soil mechanics tests. The interaction coefficients of sandy soil were measured by the repose angle test and triaxial compression test combined with the corresponding simulation. On this basis, a discrete element interaction model of track-sandy ground was established, which can be used to test the tractive effort of track. Numerical simulation calculation of track model at different speeds was carried out, and the simulation results were compared with the results of indoor soil bin test for verification. The verification results show that the interaction between track and sandy ground based on DEM simulation is consistent with the actual soil bin test. The discrete element modeling method in this paper can be used to model the track and sandy ground accurately, and the simulation model can be used to test the tractive effort of tracked vehicle.     

考虑围压效应的冻结砂土动态本构模型研究

为描述主动围压作用下冻结砂土的动态力学特性,通过在朱-王-唐模型的非线性体上串联塑性体,建立了能够考虑围压效应的冻结砂土动态损伤本构模型;分析了损伤参数对应力-应变曲线特征、屈服点、峰值应力和峰值应变的影响规律,基于冻结砂土动力学试验数据确定了模型参数;通过将模型和试验数据进行对比,并对不同试验条件下模型的预测误差进行分析,验证了模型的适用性和准确性。结果表明,损伤参数对应力-应变曲线弹性阶段和屈服点无明显影响,而对塑性阶段和破坏阶段的影响较为显著,本构模型预测的应力-应变曲线与试验结果具有较好的一致性。模型能够预测围压引起冻结砂土塑性阶段占比大和屈服点明显的特征,且能够描述围压对冻结砂土动态强度的增强效应;不同负温和主动围压条件下,模型对峰值应力和屈服强度的预测效果优于峰值应变和屈服应变。