Wolf, D.
Hadas, A.

The compacting effect of vehicular traffic (wheeled and crawler tractors) on tilled, moist soil was studied experimentally. Field measured bulk densities were compared with values predicted using depth and cross-section patterns of ruts, a statistical model proposed by G. S. V. Raghavan and E. McKyes, and a soil mechanical model based on Boussinesq-Soehne equations developed by S. C. Gupta and W. E. Larson. Bulk densities computed either by using rut cross-sections or the Boussinesq-Soehne based model yielded reasonable agreement between measured and predicted values. The crawler tractor and wheeled tractor compaction effects were almost equal. Soil compacted zones produced during winter were not obliterated by tillage prior to planting, and its variability increased with compaction effect.