Estimation and evaluation of dynamic properties as indicators of changes on soil structure in sugarcane fields of Sao Paulo State – Brazil

The indiscriminate management and use of soils without moisture control has changed the structure of it due to the increment of the traffic by agricultural machines through the years, causing in consequence, a soil compaction and yield reduction in the areas of intensive traffic. The purpose of this work was to estimate and to evaluate the performance of preconsolidation pressure of the soil and shear stress as indicators of changes on soil structure in fields cropped with sugarcane, as well as the impact of management processes in an Eutrorthox soil structure located in Sao Paulo State. The experimental field was located in Piracicaba's rural area (Sao Paulo State, Brazil) and has been cropped with sugarcane, in the second harvest cycle. The soil was classified by EMBRAPA [EMBRAPA, 1999. Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Solos. Sistema Brasileiro de Classificação de Solos, Embrapa, Brasília, 412 pp.] as an Eutrorthox. Undisturbed samples were collected and georeferenced in a grid of 60 m × 60 m from two depths: 0–0.10 m (superficial layer – SL) and in the layer of greatest mechanical resistance (LGMR), previously identified by cone index (CI). The investigated variables were pressure preconsolidation (σp), apparent cohesion (c) and internal friction angle (ϕ). The conclusions from the results were that the SLSC was predicted satisfactorily from σp as a function of soil moisture; thus, decisions about machinery size and loading (contact pressures) can be taken. Apparent cohesion (c), internal friction angle (ϕ) and the Coulomb equation were significantly altered by traffic intensity. The σp, c and ϕ maps were shown to be important tools to localize and visualize soil compaction and mechanical resistance zones. They constitute a valuable resource to evaluate the traffic impact in areas cropped with sugarcane in State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.