Effects of rake angle of chisel plough on soil cutting factors and power requirements: A computer simulation

A computer simulation was conducted to predict the effects of rake angle of a chisel plough and soil bulk density on angle of soil failure plane, rupture distance, width of side crescent, frictional, overburden, cohesion and adhesion soil cutting factors, draft forces and drawbar power requirements. The experimental work was carried out in two locations. Soil of the first location was sandy clay with the soil bulk densities of 1.75 and 1.70 g/cm3 for firm and loose soil conditions, respectively, with an angle of internal friction of 30° and a surface friction angle of 20°, cohesion of 2.5 kN/m2 and adhesion of 1.2 kN/m2. Soil of the second location was clay loam with the soil bulk densities of 1.65 and 1.50 g/cm3 for firm and loose soil conditions, respectively, with an angle of internal friction of 34° and a surface friction angle of 23°, cohesion of 2.4 kN/m2 and adhesion of 1.14 kN/m2. The prediction showed that the angle of failure plane found to decrease with the rake angle. The rupture distance decreased with the rake angle from 15° to 55° and then increased as the rake angle increased over 55°. The width of the side crescent increased as the rake angle increased and the maximum value and the minimum value were recorded at 75° and at 15°. Values of frictional and overburden factors decreased as rake angle increased. The maximum and minimum values were recorded at 15° and 75°, respectively. The values of cohesion factor increased as rake angle increased. The maximum value was recorded at rake angle of 75° and the minimum value was recorded at rake angle of 15°. Adhesion factor was found to change inversely with the rake angle from 15° to 55° and then to change directly with the rake angle over 55°. The draft force decreased with the rake angle and reached its minimum value at 45° rake angle. Over 45°, the draft force increased and reached its maximum value at 75° rake angle. The draft increased with soil bulk density. The power required for moving the plough recorded the maximum value at rake angle of 15°, while the minimum value was recorded at 55° rake angle. The values of power increased with decrease of soil bulk density. The predicted values demonstrated some deviations from the experimental values of the draft force and the drawbar power.