Simple Method for Measuring and Mapping of Site-Specific Draft Force during Plowing

This paper presents and analyzes the procedure for indirect measurement of soil mechanical properties using strain transducers installed on the lower links of the tractor and corresponding acquisition equipment, along with simultaneous use of the tractor unit positioning equipment in the field during tillage operation with a two-furrow plough.Sensors are installed and calibrated according to measurement requirements and after the Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis of the tractor lower links.The results obtained for the draft force longitudinal measurements are well consistent with expected results predicted by using the Goryachkin approach and ASAE Standard D497.4.The presented method can be successfully applied to measure the draft force when performing any other operation in the field.Maps produced by measuring the draft force are very useful in precision seeding in terms of varying seeding depth or soil amelioration.Such maps can be a useful layer in any other decision-making considerations in precision agriculture.