Quantifying the Structural Deformation of Agricultural Soil Compacted by Deflated Tractor Tires using X-ray Computed Tomography

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The increasing size of farm tractors and equipment, associated with larger-scale production systems, is**contributing to the compaction of agricultural soils, both within Canada and globally. One of the practical**strategies to reduce wheel compaction, is to lower tire pressure, thereby distributing the same weight over a**larger area. Agribrink has recently developed a new tire pressure control system, called Automatic Air Inflation**Deflation (AAID), which allows tires to be deflated within less than a quarter of the time needed for similar**systems currently on the market. In order to refine the recommended operation parameters of their AAID**system, AgriBrink requires a better understanding soil compaction occurring in response to deflated wheels,**both in terms of area/depth and degree of impact. This research will employ high-resolution x-ray CT scanning**to quantify the impact of tires deflated using the AAID system, compated with non-deflated tires, on the**structure of medium-textured (loamy) soils, and to establish a standard methodology for the application of CT**imaging to characterize the impact of wheel traffic on soil structure. The results of this research will provide**AgriBrink with the information and technique necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their**AAID system for diverse soils and moisture conditions. This will ultimately allow them to more effectively**refine their product and recommended operation parameters, for broader markets both nationally and**internationally, thereby contributing to a reduction in soil degradation and the associated cost to agriculture**production and the environment.