Traction performance prediction of agricultural machinery on wet soils

Abstract

Excessive rainfalls origin interruptions to the season during long time in the sugar mill where the vertisols prevails, due to Cuban technology for sugar cane transport and harvester is not able to work on soft soils. This paper have a main purpose to predict drawbar force that can develop the New Holland 11090 tractor on soil wet conditions (soft soil) and to establish the limits of cone index which it is impossible to pull sugar cane tow due to insufficient trafficability. The Brixius (5) model was used. The main ratios and forces that characterize traction dynamics (motion resistance, net traction, motion resistance ratio, gross traction ratio, net traction ratio and tractive efficiency) were obtained as a function of cone index. The results showed the RA-6 trailer only can be pulled with a cone index higher than 400 kPa, working on 20% wheel travel reduction (wheel slip).