Review of Discrete Element Method Simulations of Soil Tillage and Furrow Opening

Kojo Atta Aikins (), Mustafa Ucgul, James B. Barr, Emmanuel Awuah, Diogenes L. Antille, Troy A. Jensen and Jacky M. A. Desbiolles
Additional contact information
Kojo Atta Aikins: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
Mustafa Ucgul: Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
James B. Barr: Seed Terminator, 23 Aldershot Rd., Lonsdale, SA 5160, Australia
Emmanuel Awuah: College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 40 Dianjiangtai, Pukou District, Nanjing 210095, China
Diogenes L. Antille: Centre for Agricultural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Troy A. Jensen: Centre for Agricultural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Jacky M. A. Desbiolles: Agricultural Machinery R&D Centre, STEM, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-29

Abstract: In agricultural machinery design and optimization, the discrete element method (DEM) has played a major role due to its ability to speed up the design and manufacturing process by reducing multiple prototyping, testing, and evaluation under experimental conditions. In the field of soil dynamics, DEM has been mainly applied in the design and optimization of soil-engaging tools, especially tillage tools and furrow openers. This numerical method is able to capture the dynamic and bulk behaviour of soils and soil–tool interactions. This review focused on the various aspects of the application of DEM in the simulation of tillage and furrow opening for tool design optimization. Different contact models, particle sizes and shapes, and calibration techniques for determining input parameters for tillage and furrow opening research have been reviewed. Discrete element method predictions of furrow profiles, disturbed soil surface profiles, soil failure, loosening, disturbance parameters, reaction forces, and the various types of soils modelled with DEM have also been highlighted. This pool of information consolidates existing working approaches used in prior studies and helps to identify knowledge gaps which, if addressed, will advance the current soil dynamics modelling capability.

Keywords: calibration; DEM contact models; soil dynamics; soil failure; soil forces; cohesive and frictional soils (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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