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DEVELOPMENT OF FINITE ELEMENT SOFTWARE FOR SUPPORT OF DESIGN OF

AGRICULTURAL TYRE ON FOUNDATION ON CRITICAL STATE SOIL
MECHANICS TYRE -SOIL CONNECTION DESIGN PARAMETERS APPLIC....

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Zsolt Péter Kiss

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 DEVELOPMENT OF FINITE ELEMENT SOFTWARE
FOR SUPPORT OF DESIGN OF AGRICULTURAL TYRE
ON FOUNDATION ON CRITICAL STATE SOIL MECHANICS

ZSOLT PÉTER KISS

College of Nyíregyháza

I would like to summarise our activity concerning the development of 2 and 3D finite element models, which
will be able to analyse the connection between the agricultural tyre and the soil.
I will show you the input and output parameters of this program system, the validation process of the
complex computational strategy, the results, the possibilities of the application of the model in the
engineering practice from the tyre design and the usage point of view. Finally I would like to tell you some
word about our present and future work.
When we are speaking about the connection between the tyre and the soil, we have to define different groups
of the elements of the relations in Fig. 1.

TYRE - SOIL CONNECTION

DESIGN PARAMETERS APPLICATION PROPERTIES
- number of lugs

Result of MEASUREMENTS
- design of lugs (crown angle, - traction (grip)
lug support, lug height)
- shoulder width - comfort
- tread arch radius
- fuel consumption

APPLICATION PARAMETERS - tread wear

- agricultural soil - soil compaction
- inflation pressure
- weight of machine - footprint

FEM MODEL
INPUT OUTPUT
Fig. 1. The connection between the tyre and the soil

The first is the group of the design parameters. The tyre designer basically can modify these parameters to
change the tyre properties.
During the operation basically the agricultural soil and the weight of the machine is given, but the farmers
can modify the inflation pressure. They are the application parameters.
The design parameters determine basically the one of the most important tyre property, the grip, the
application parameters effect to the soil compaction essentially. But everybody knows, that the application
parameters effect to the traction, comfort, fuel consumption and the tread wear too, and the design
parameters effect to these parameters. It is a very difficult relationship. The aim of the development of FEM
program system is, that we have to make input parameters from the design and application parameters, and to
make output parameters from the application properties.
Finally we have to compare the output parameters with the measured tyre properties to prove the reliability
of the model. It is the validation process.

The input of a typical 3 Dimensional soil model shows in Fig. 2. We can determine and change of the type
and the in situ state of the agricultural soil. The in situ state of the soil is the initial stress state including the
proportion of the soil skeleton and voids and their water content.
The loading of the soil body can given either by kinematical prescription or by normal and tangential
pressure distribution. The input is conform with the design and application parameters which can be given
and changed by the tyre designer and the user.

FEM MODEL
2D, 3D SOIL MODELS TYRE-SOIL CONNECTION
input design and application parameters
- type of agricultural soil
- in situ state of soil agricultural soil
tread arch radius
shoulder width
- loading ⇒ pressure distribution inflation pressure
weight of machine
or number of lugs
design of lugs
- loading ⇒ kinematical prescription
shoulder width
tread arch radius
Fig. 2. The input of the 2D and 3D Finite Element Soil Models

On the Fig. 3. can be seen the relations between the output of the soil models and the application properties.
The models can determine the deformed shape of the soil in that case when the loading is the pressure
distribution on the surface of the soil. This output can be compared with the real footprint.

FEM MODEL

2D, 3D SOIL MODELS TYRE-SOIL CONNECTION

output application properties
- deformed shape of soil footprint
(loading ⇒ pressure distribution)
- stress distribution in soil
soil compaction
- distribution of voids ratio
- force necessity traction (grip)
(loading ⇒ kinematical prescription)
- stress distribution on lug surface tread wear
- ? comfort
- ? fuel consumption
Fig. 3. The output of the 2D and 3D Finite Element Soil Models

The voids ratio is the proportion of the soil particles and the voids, which is filled up with water and air. The
smaller voids ratio means a larger compaction. The stress and the voids ratio distribution in the soil are in a
closed connection with the soil compaction. When the loading is a kinematical prescription, the force
necessity of the deformation can be calculated. The qualitative characteristic of this output is in relation with
the grip, the traction. After the calculation the stress distribution on the lug surface is an output parameter.
We think so, that from this date can be drawn some conclusion concerning the tread wear. But in this state
we have no idea what kind of output can be compared with the comfort and fuel consumption.
After the measuring of this application properties and a comparison with the output data the model can be
validated. Due to the many kind of the real agricultural soil, our aim to validate the qualitative and not the
quantitative characteristic of the output. On the Fig. 4. can be seen the output and the application properties,
and what kind of measurements can compare this parameters.

VALIDATION
output application properties measurements for validation
- Deformed shape of soil Footprint Force-sinkage curve
(loading ⇒ pressure distribution)

- Stress distribution in soil Hydrostatic pressure

Soil compaction Penetrometer
- Distribution of voids ratio Force-sinkage curve
- Force necessity Traction (grip) Force-displacement curve
(loading ⇒ kinematical prescription) (horizontal, vertical direction)

- Stress distribution on Tread wear ?

lug surface
- ? Comfort ?
- ? Fuel consumption ?

Fig. 4. The validation of the 2D and 3D FEM software

It can be stated, that the Force-sinkage curve is suitable to validate the complex computational strategy,
including the Cambridge Cam Clay material law, the strength parameters, the numerical strategy and the in
situ state. The other measurements (measuring of hydrostatic pressure, the penetration) are necessary for a
more precise investigation of the behaviour of the local parts of the soil. Due to the lack of the output
concerning the comfort and fuel consumption in this state we don’t know what kind of measurements should
be done. And we don’t know, what kind of measurement is the most convenient for analysis of tread wear.

During the development activity we worked out 2D axisymmetric, a 2D plain strain and a 3D soil model, and
a measuring method for validation of the complex computational strategy. Based on the previous pictures we
have stated that the foundation of the validation is the experimental force sinkage curve. On the Fig. 5. can
be seen what kind of pushing tool is convenient for the comparison of the calculation and the measurements.

Fig. 5. The validation with loading of the pushing tool

The loading of the soil model is a kinematical prescription in the vertical direction with the shapes of the real
pushing tool. During the measurement process we push the different tools into the soil by increasing the
loading step by step.
In the Table 1 i show you the material characteristics of the investigated soil. It is an average properties and
moisture content of a given type sandy loam. The material parameters and the in situ stress state are known
from literature. The initial soil structure which was given by agricultural engineers can be seen on the next
table. There are three different level of the proportion of the soil components. In the bottom part the
proportion of the soil skeleton and the moisture content in the voids are higher.

Table 1
Depth Soil skeleton Moisture Air content
(m) (%) (%) (%)
0,0 – 0,2 50 25 25
0,2 – 0,4 50 30 20
0,4 – 0,6 60 30 10

On the Fig. 6. picture can be seen the results of the validation process. The three top curves show us the
calculated force sinkage curve by application of 2D plain strain, axisymmetric and 3D models. The bottom 2
curves are the measured curves which were determined by quadrilateral and circle shape of pushing tools. By
observation of the experimental and the calculated force-sinkage curve we were pleased to see the similar
qualitative characteristics. It can be stated that a right complex computational strategy was chosen.

Validation of the complex computational strategy

Calculated, measured force sinkage curves

35

31,71
30
27,59
25
23,61
Brick
20
Fo rc e (KN)

20 Circle
19,5 P lain s train
15 Axis ymmetric
3D
10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Disp lace me nt (mm )

Fig. 6. The calculated and the measured force sinkage curves

I mentioned earlier, that to prove of the applicability of the FEM models in the engineering practice we have
to make some other tests for investigation of the local behaviour of the soil. For example if I want to get
information concerning the grip of the tyre or we want to give information to the users about the compaction
distribution at the region of the roots of the plants, we have to investigate and validate the behaviour of a
given local parts of the soil. It was the reason that we compared the output data with the results of
penetration, we plan to measure the stress distribution in the soil, and we plan to make measurements and
numerical calculating in case of combined vertical and horizontal loading.

In the Fig. 7. shows us the comparison of the voids ratio distribution and the distribution of the resistance
against the penetration. The conditions are the same than in the previous case.
The loading of the model is a kinematical prescription of a circle shape. During the measurement we pushed
a circle tool to the soil. The depth of the footprint is equal with the kinematical prescription. By evaluation of
the results, some similarity and differences can be stated.
 The void ratio distribution shows that the mostly compacted part of the soil is at the edge of the kinematical
prescription. A similar picture can be seen after the loading. At the area which is closed to the footprint the
maximum values are at the edge of the pushing tool. But the heterogeneity of the initial state of the real soil
effects strongly to the state of the loaded soil. I mentioned earlier , that theoretically it is possible to give
similar in situ state as an input to the model but practically it is not too easy.
Another question: it seems to be logical, where the compaction is higher the resistance is higher too. But
what is the real correlation between these two different type of parameters?
In my opinion the penetration is not convenient to validate this output directly.
It is the reason that we plan to develop a method to measure the hydrostatic stress distribution in the soil. But
basically the shearing stresses determine the soil compaction.

Fig. 7. The distribution of the void ratio

Now we are working on the task, that our model has to be able to investigate the one of the most important
tyre parameters, the grip and simultaneously, due to the difficulties which was mentioned previously we are
working on the development of a measuring method which can validate this tyre parameter directly. At the
first step we made some measurements when horizontal and vertical loaded were applied , and for the first
two pushing tool we determined the force-displacement curve. Simultaneously we made some calculation
with the 2D plain strain model. But in this case we applied a given stress distribution in vertical and
horizontal direction.

Our near future plan to investigate one lug. At our 3D model we will apply a kinematical description with the
shape of the lug in the vertical and horizontal direction. After this in the far future we would like to extend
this model to the total footprint. But I am sure we will meet some serious problem.

One of them is the running time. Now we need 24 hours for a 3D calculation with a simple pushing tool. The
surface of the lug or a tyre section much more difficult.
Another one: the validation, we will need a lot of measurement to prove the reliability of this program.

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