Soil Damage Detection and Vehicle Control for Field Compaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural vehicles cause soil compaction and damage as their load varies across a field, leading to potential getting stuck in muddy areas, due to inadequate soil-bearing capacity assessment and load distribution.

Innovation Solution

A system that measures soil cone index and vehicle force exertion, calculates a soil damage score, and adjusts vehicle operations such as path planning, tire inflation, and load redistribution to minimize soil damage by generating control signals for controllable subsystems like navigation, traction, and ballast control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the agricultural vehicle carries heavier loads to maintain productivity, then the productivity is improved, but the soil compaction and damage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveproductivityVSAvoidsoil compaction

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts tire inflation pressure based on real-time soil conditions and vehicle load. As the vehicle moves across the field, the inflation pressure is continuously modified to optimize the balance between maintaining productivity (adequate traction and load-bearing capacity) and minimizing soil compaction (reducing ground pressure on vulnerable soil areas).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes physical parameters of the vehicle-soil interaction, specifically tire inflation pressure, to adapt to varying soil conditions and load requirements. This parameter adjustment allows the vehicle to operate effectively on different soil types and moisture conditions while minimizing harmful compaction effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the vehicle travels over muddy areas to complete field operations, then the productivity is maintained, but the vehicle may become stuck

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveproductivityVSAvoidvehicle mobility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses real-time feedback from soil sensors to detect changes in soil conditions, particularly in muddy or saturated areas. Based on this feedback, the control system automatically adjusts tire inflation pressure to prevent the vehicle from becoming stuck, thereby maintaining both productivity and reliability without requiring manual intervention or route changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the tire inflation pressure is increased to improve traction and reduce compaction on firm soil, then the vehicle performance is improved, but the risk of becoming stuck increases in soft or muddy areas

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovetractionVSAvoidgetting stuck

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tire inflation system operates dynamically, continuously adjusting pressure based on real-time soil condition feedback rather than maintaining a fixed pressure setting. This allows the system to optimize traction on firm soil while automatically reducing pressure to prevent sticking in soft or muddy areas, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12110007B2Detection and control based on soil damage

Publication Date: 2024.10.08 DEERE & CO

AI summary

A soil measure, such as a soil cone index, and a vehicle index indicating the amount of force the vehicle exerts on the ground as it travels over the ground, are obtained and compared to identify a soil damage score. The soil damage score can be mapped over a field and an agricultural vehicle can be controlled based upon the soil damage score.