1 Milan Kroulik Slides - website

Soil protection and sustainable utilisation of natural
resources through GPS navigation.
Milan Kroulík
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Agricultural Machines
165 21 Prague 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic
Phone: +420 224 383 130, Fax: +420 224 383 122
E-mail: kroulik@tf.czu.cz

The global problems connected with soil conditions
‐ soil erosion (still increasing worldwide),
‐ soil compaction (particularly in developed countries using big and
heavy machinery in fields.
Soil erosion and compaction by machinery traffic is one of the major
problems facing modern agriculture and it is a well‐recognised
problem worldwide.

With today’s emphasis on intelligent and
sustainable farming methods, satellite
navigation for agricultural machinery is essential.
Machinery manufacturers, mainly tractor and
harvester producers, offer several variants for
automatic steering and navigation.

Current issues of the intensive management and its
influence on agricultural land and remedial measures
Soil compaction is primarily most frequently been associated with the field
operations of heavy machines.
Soil
compaction
Erosion
Field condition aptly shows an aerial image

In today´s agriculture: the machinery passes are inevitable
randomly organized traffic

Real operating conditions using a conventional tillage system
with ploughing and also a conservation tillage system
Conventional system with ploughing
Conservation tillage

PLOUGHING
CONSERVATION
TOTAL WHEELED AREA 86,14% 63,75%

Frequency of agricultural machinery passes on HEADLANDS
(headland width 25 m)
Conventional system
with ploughing
Run-over area
(%)
Conservation tillage
Run-over area
(%)
Number of passes repetitions
Number of passes repetitions
1x
2x
3x
4x
5x
6x and more
17.09
25.70
23.99
15.08
8.50
3.83
1x
2x
3x
4x
5x
6x
30.23
31.16
15.86
4.05
0.46
0.01
Run-over area (total) (%) 86.14 Run-over area (total) (%) 81.76

Conservation tillage ‐ 8 m fixed track system
Technical solution of the same wheelbase or tracks could be a major obstacle. Without
costly measures in the form of expansion of wheelbases and likewise can be achieved at the
same intensity of the work a significant reduction in the frequency of passes.

Frequency of machinery passes across a field where fixed tracks
were used.
Conservation tillage
4 m working width
Run-over area
(%)
Conservation tillage
8 m working width
Run-over area
(%)
Number of passes repetitions
Number of passes repetitions
1x
2x
3x
4x
5x
6x
4.58
3.24
5.18
16.51
0.16
7.71
1x
2x
3x
4x
5x
6x and more
10.38
0.00
8.46
7.65
1.36
3.03
Run-over area (total) (%) 37.38 Run-over area (total) (%) 30.88

Intensity of random machinery passes influences also grassland or
fields with perennial crops
63.8 %
63.4 %

PARTIAL OUTCOMES
Farming practices – chosen tillage technology ‐ can significantly effect final
intensity of traffic in the fields throughout a cropping season.
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT LITERATURE SOURCES
Intensity of traffic (number of machinery passes) in fields plays an important role in soil
compaction, because soil deformations can increase with the number of passes.
However, the first pass of a wheel is known to cause a major portion of the total soil
compaction.
IDEA DERIVED FROM PREVIOUS INFORMATION
One possible tool for (further) machinery traffic reduction and therefore soil compaction
reduction could be the fixed track system.

“Soil compaction phenomenon is connected with number of machinery passes but also with
time exposure of soil surface to contact pressure”
Interesting outcome –the map of soil exposure to machinery time‐dependent presence
(tyres contact presure) – visible spots where machinery stayed for a longer time (i.e.
seeder loading, sprayer filling up…)‐ the more log‐impulses recorded at a particular place
the darker colour in the map
greater risk of compaction
Map characterising intensity of traffic and
time spent at a certain area

PARTIAL OUTCOMES
It is very difficult to locate and rationalize soil compaction, because marks on the soil
surface are not evident.
GPS (global positioning system) receiver as simple equipment of a tractor can be used for
detection of areas in the field where multiple trafficking appears.
IDEA DERIVED FROM PREVIOUS INFORMATION
Based on knowledge of the load intensity is possible to optimize the depth of loosening
pursuant maps of passes. From figure most exposed areas by loads are headlands and
areas where the machines were weaned.

Logistic solution of transport trailer
A number of field operations are dependent on the support of conveyance
and requires cooperation when working with these machines.
Recordings made during the work of machines showed a number of reserves
and deficiencies in these activities.
The empty conveyance follows the forage harvester trailer

PARTIAL OUTCOMES
In presented results, tractor with an empty trailer followed tractor operating with a
chopper at all times.
Bales collection is organized according to the estimate of the manipulator operator.
IDEA DERIVED FROM PREVIOUS INFORMATION
Better organization and cooperation of transport trailer with chopper would certainly
help to reduce the repeated crossings.
With knowledge of the position of bales is possible use the method of linear
programming to design haul route with the requirement for the shortest travelled
distance.

Optimizing production areas of land
With irregular shapes of the fields or with curved sides; increases the number of
passes, turns, overlaps or omissions.
23.6 ha

To obtain economic nature information about the field or information about the
operation of machines is relative simple.
yield monitoring
market
and prices
process parameters
of working machines
plant and soil condition
field history and
managment

PARTIAL OUTCOMES
No small facilities are spent on the soil preparation each year. Nevertheless, endeavour of
the farmers doesn't need to bring required results.
The driver has to make a greater effort to treat or process these marginal areas and
corners of the field. Especially the headlands are exposed to increased intensity of passes.
Monitoring of process parameters of working machines especially during tillage is easy
due to modern tractors and electronic equipment.
Crop yield monitoring is one of the most widespread applications of precision farming.

IDEA DERIVED FROM PREVIOUS INFORMATION
What extent is appropriate intensively cultivated these areas or deal with remedial
measures?
Establishment of grassland on these areas would allow better pass ability during turns.
It would also minimize overlaps or omissions during establishment or maintenance of
vegetation.
Grassy vegetation would also form a barrier against water runoff from the sloping fields.
Defined areas can be prepared in the form of polygons with which the navigations can
operate and control sowing sections.

Route planning and optimization of machine sets for land
The field shape, size, terrain, obstructions and size of the equipment have greatest influence on
performing operational steps from the point of view of exploitation, economical and energy
criteria.

At present, trajectories are
based especially on the
experience of drivers or usual
habits of farmers.
approximately 90°
Optimal trajectory of guidance line
100°

Influence of the direction of movement at a known shape of land on working
efficiency of machine sets.
Plot A, turning the machine set without
opposite turns
Plot A, turning the machine set with
opposite turns

Length of driving distance for the different directions of trajectories

PARTIAL OUTCOMES
Field, where two sides are not parallel, is
adopted as a standard in farm models.
The trajectories model does not respect the slope of the land.
IDEA DERIVED FROM PREVIOUS INFORMATION
Even minimum deviation from optimal route can lead to a significant increase of nonworking
trips and passes.
Trajectory model can be, quite easily, transferred into the guidance.
It is necessary to focus further work on development of working models of route
trajectories that would also take into account the shape of the land with emphasis on
erosion mitigation and with the possibilities of agricultural machinery pass ability.
These trajectories should be available from relevant websites for the navigation devices.

Delimitation of areas with increased risk of erosion
1953
2000

The need to eliminate the above risks is legally enshrined in the documents
of the European Communities (Council Regulation (ES) No. 73/2009).
These societal requirements are implemented in the GAEC standards
(Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions).
Every farmer in the Czech Republic
has an overview of their lands on the
web portal LPIS of the Ministry of
Agriculture.

Picture describes the situation model of the field
Terrain and slope models
Soil erosion model predicts the spatiotemporal
distribution of erosion and deposition as well
as the delivery of suspended soil material to
surface water courses on a watershed scale.
Identification of the areas with erosion risk.

Erosion zone is plotted back to the portal LPIS
The farmer will be able to generate area for use in the navigation system.

PARTIAL OUTCOMES
The available data for terrain and erosion modelling can be obtained from GPS receivers
during previous work on the land.
Farmers have available information and proposals through the portal LPIS.
IDEA DERIVED FROM PREVIOUS INFORMATION
Based on the transmitted information the navigation system will be able to manage
tasks for the required anti‐erosion and soil protection interventions.
Along with selecting the optimal route the navigation system could significantly
promote erosion control and soil retention capacity of the land
Guarantee of compliance and meeting the requirements of the erosion control
measures for the control authorities.

Conclusion:
• There were introduced the possibilities how to use the position of the
machines to reduce the passes risk factors with minimal additional cost of
agriculture machine equipment.

Very final advice:
„ALWAYS USE THE RIGHT TRACKS!!!“

Thank you for attention
Milan Kroulík
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Agricultural Machines
165 21 Prague 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic
Phone: +420 224 383 130, Fax: +420 224 383 122
E-mail: kroulik@tf.czu.cz