Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Modeling And Measurement Of Evaporation From Frequently Tilled Sandy Soils, Nicholas R. Lawson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Moisture observation and control is the single largest factor that controls the mechanical properties of sand based surfaces used for thoroughbred horse racing. Currently the moisture content is estimated based on the experience and expertise of the superintendent and water is added as needed based on experience. While extensive modelling has been done on moisture loss from a range of soils with crop covers in agronomy, currently no method exists to estimate the evaporation from a surface that is tilled many times a day and remains in a partially compacted state. This thesis develops an evaporation model based on real …

Effect Of Rainfall Events On The Thermal And Moisture Exposure Of Underground Electric Cables, Andrew Fuhrmann

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Cable ampacity analysis is generally performed assuming constant worst-state environmental conditions, which often correspond to a dry soil condition or to a condition with uniform ambient soil moisture content. The characteristic time scale of thermal variation in the soil is large, on the order of several weeks, and is similar to the time scale between rainfall events in many geographic locations. Intermittent rainfall events introduce significant transient fluctuations that influence the thermal conditions and moisture content around a buried cable both by increasing thermal conductivity of the soil and by increasing the moisture exposure of the cable insulation. This paper …

Environmental Impacts Of Stover Removal In The Corn Belt, Alicia English, Wallace E. Tyner, Juan Sesmero, Phillip Owens, David J. Muth Jr.

David J. Muth

When considering the market for biomass from corn stover resources erosion and soil quality issues are important to consider. Removal of stover can be beneficial in some areas, especially when coordinated with other conservation practices, such as vegetative barrier strips and cover crops. However, benefits are highly dependent on several factors, namely if farmers see costs and benefits associated with erosion and the tradeoffs with the removal of biomass. This paper uses results from an integrated RUSLE2/WEPS model to incorporate six different regime choices, covering management, harvest and conservation, into a simple profit maximization model to show these tradeoffs.

Landscape Management For Sustainable Supplies Of Bioenergy Feedstock And Enhanced Soil Quality, Douglas L. Karlen, David J. Muth Jr.

David J. Muth

Agriculture can simultaneously address global food, feed, fi ber, and energy challenges provided our soil, water, and air resources are not compromised in doing so. As we embark on the 19th Triennial Conference of the International Soil and Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO), I am pleased to proclaim that our members are well poised to lead these endeavors because of our comprehensive understanding of soil, water, agricultural and bio-systems engineering processes. The concept of landscape management, as an approach for integrating multiple bioenergy feedstock sources, including biomass residuals, into current crop production systems, is used as the focal point to show …

Landscape Management For Sustainable Supplies Of Bioenergy Feedstock And Enhanced Soil Quality, Douglas L. Karlen, David J. Muth Jr.

Douglas L Karlen

Agriculture can simultaneously address global food, feed, fi ber, and energy challenges provided our soil, water, and air resources are not compromised in doing so. As we embark on the 19th Triennial Conference of the International Soil and Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO), I am pleased to proclaim that our members are well poised to lead these endeavors because of our comprehensive understanding of soil, water, agricultural and bio-systems engineering processes. The concept of landscape management, as an approach for integrating multiple bioenergy feedstock sources, including biomass residuals, into current crop production systems, is used as the focal point to show …

Reverse Logic - Safety Of Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal, Antti Lempinen, Marianne Silvan-Lempinen

Antti Lempinen

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of A Mechanical System For Reconstructing Soil On Surface Mined Land, John P. Fulton, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The existence of excessive soil compaction has hindered the surface mining industry from returning land to pre−mining productivity after reclamation, especially on prime farmland soils. Heavy earthmoving equipment used during reclamation tends to generate root−limiting bulk densities that adversely affect plant growth thereby decreasing yields. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate a mechanism, called the ‘Soil Regenerator,’ which reconstructs soil media at minimum bulk density during surface mine reclamation. The prototype soil forming mechanism was mounted on the front of a conventional bulldozer. Soil was placed in long narrow windrows by a scraper or bulldozer. As the …

A Mechanical System For Soil Reconstruction, John Patrick Fulton, Larry G. Wells, Timothy D. Smith

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

One of the most perplexing problems associated with reclaiming surface–mined lands is excessive compaction of soil due to the heavy earthmoving equipment used during the reclamation process. Over the years, some innovative material handling schemes have been devised to limit vehicle traffic during reclamation on reconstructed soil. However, final grading operations can often create root–limiting bulk densities, which affect plant growth and yield. The purpose of this article is to describe a mechanism designed at the University of Kentucky whereby mine soil can be reconstructed without introducing compaction caused by surface traffic in order for the soil to sustain desirable …

Stratal Architecture In A Prograding Shoreface Deposit, Eastern Shore, Va: Relationship To Grain Size, Permeability, And Facies Distribution, Andrew C. Miller

OES Theses and Dissertations

A fundamental concern of the stratigrapher is to develop predictive models of stratigraphic organization. In sedimentology one of the most significant problems that has yet to be resolved is the fact that there is a lack of quantitative information regarding the relationship between geometry of beds, thickness of beds, grain size and sedimentary structures in sandy environments, especially shallow marine deposits. Scientists have also realized the need to correlate quantitative permeability to sedimentary structures and scales of stratigraphic organization. The purpose of the study is to investigate the scales of stratigraphic organization that control the variation of grain size and …

Crop Updates 1999 - Cereals, Len W. Broadbridge, Doug Abrecht, D. Bakker, Greg Hamilton, Cliff Spann, Doug Rowe, Peter Fisher, Jennifer Bignell, Matthew Braimbridge, Bill Bowden, Ross Brennan, Reg Lunt, Senthold Asseng, Cherie Rowles, Simon Bedbrook, Chris Gazey, Mike Bolland, Garren Knell, Lyn Abbott, Zed Rengel, Wayne Pluske, Erin Cahill, Bill Crabtree, Matthew Evans, Tim Nielsen, Jat Bhathal, Rob Loughman, D. Rasmussen, Roger Jones, Sean Kelly, Ian Riley, Sharyn Tayor, Vivien Vanstone, Dominie Wright, Debbie Thackray, Simon Mckirdy, George Yan, Robin Wilson, Iain Barclay, Robin Mclean, Dean Diepeveen, Bill Lambe, Wal Anderson, Brenda Shackley, Mechelle Owen, Peter Burgess, Ben Curtis, Mohammed A. Hamza, Jamie Henderson, Frank Boetel, Alfredo Impiglia, Frances Hoyle, Darshan Sharma, Pierre Fievez, Blakely Paynter, Glen Mcdonald, Kevin Young, Andrew Blake, Keith Devenish, Perry Dolling, Roy Latta, Lisa-Jane Blacklow, Chris Matthews, Angelo Loi, Brad Nutt, Rochelle Mcrobb, David Webb, Andrew Mcrobb, Clinton Revell, James Ridsdill-Smith, Celia Pavri, David Tennant, Darryl Mclements, Ross Thompson, Mike Ewing, Tim Woodburn, Paul Yeoh, James Fisher, Art Diggle, Mark Whitten, Andrew Rate, Paul Carlile, Ed Blanchard, Bevan Buirchell, Lorraine Osborne, Tress Walmsley, Terry Piper, Cameron Weeks, Michael Dodd, Amanda Falconer, Caroline Peek, Glenn Adam, Camray Gethin, Richard Guinness, Daniel Fels, Andrew Rintoul, Mal Lamond, Roger Tapp, Craig White

Crop Updates

This article covers sixty papers

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PLENARY PAPERS

1. Western Australia’s climate: trends and opportunities, Len W. Broadbridge, Director, Bureau of Meterorology

2. Managing seasonal variations in agriculture, Dr Doug Abrecht, Director, Dryland Research Institute, Merredin

CROP ESTABLISHMENT

3. Soil management to prevent waterlogging on duplex soils in the Great Southern, D. Bakker, Greg Hamilton, Cliff Spann and Doug Rowe, Agriculture Western Australia

4. The influence of no-till and press wheels on crop production for heavy soils, Peter Fisher, Jennifer Bignell, Matthew Braimbridge, Greg Hamilton, Agriculture

Western Australia

NUTRITION

5. Fertiliser nitrogen, applied late, needs …

Soil Sampling Made Easier, Mike Bolland, Mike Baker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A new rotary blade soil sampler has taken the hard work out of collecting soil samples from Western Australia's hard-setting soils to test for soil phosphorus levels .

Conceived and developed by Department of Agriculture technical officer Mike Baker, it should enable soil testing to be more widely adopted. Fortunately, the soil calibration tests that were developed using pogo samples can also be used for the new sampler.

Stubble : Friend And Foe, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Several articles in this issue of the Journal of Agriculture discuss some of the important issues of stubble management. The articles are condensed from some of the papers presented at a stubble workshop at Geraldton in 1991.

Stubble Handling Begins At Harvest, Ed Blanchard

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Long stubble left in the paddock after harvest causes major difficulties at seeding time. To demonstrate the benefits of having short stubble at seeding, the Trayning Land Conservation District Committee created four stubble treatments at harvest in 1988 and sowed into these stubble treatments in 1989.

Cost Effective Stubble Retention Practices, Andrew Green, Ed Blanchard

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

To increase the rate of adoption of stubble retention farming systems the Grains Research and Development Corporation is funding a three-year project with the Farm Machinery Unit to develop low cost, stubble handling systems from harvest to seeding

Drainage Of Sandplain Seeps For Salinity Control And Stock Water Supplies, Richard George, Peter Frantom

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Sandplain seeps are derived from a shallow groundwater system which flows from the deep sandplain soils upslope. Seeps result in small areas of salinity and waterlogging, which can be the focus of soil erosion. Sandplain seeps may represent as much as 10 per cent of Western Australia's salt problem in the drier agricultural area. Several drainage experiments conducted between 1986 and 1989 determined the best methods of reclaiming sandplain seeps.

This article discusses the results of these drainage experiments. It comments on the most suitable method for reclaiming sandplain seeps and developing them for stock water supplies.

Narrow-Winged Seeder Points Reduce Water Erosion And Maintain Crop Yields, Kevin Bligh

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Sowing crops without loosening the topsoil by tillage reduces water erosion. It can increase infiltration of rainfall into loamy soils, thereby reducing runoff and increasing potential crop yields. Crop yields were maintained after I1 seasons of seeding an Avon Valley loam near Beverley with minimum and no-tillage seeding operations. Infiltration increased significantly from 80 per cent of the 1983 growing-season rainfall under the traditional three tillage operations, to 87per cent under a single tillage operation using a combine seed drill. Infiltration increased further to 96 per cent under a no-tillage system using a triple^lisc drill. At Gnowangerup, 80 per cent …

There's Little To Choose Between Scarifier Points, C R. Lester

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Tests on scarifier points showed that methods of treating them to prolong their life had little effect.

Opposed Disc Plough Furrows Hard Kimberley Soils, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE work of reclaiming the eroded areas of the Ord River catchment has posed special problems for field staff of the Department of Agriculture engaged on this large scale project.

Thousands of miles of furrows must be contour-ploughed and seeded in extremely hard ground over big areas of eroded country.

A Useful Farm-Made Roller, V E. Western

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A very serviceable compacting roller can be constructed at little expense by using discarded truck tyres.

The roller described here has an overall width of 5 ft. 3 in. and carries seven 9.00 x 24 semi-trailer tyres which had been discarded when the treads were worn smooth.