Measurement of Strain Induced on a Deep Placement Fertilizer Applicator by Static load and Finite Element Simulation

Abstract This paper briefly reveals study results performed on a deep placement fertilizer applicator (DPFA) in order to measure strain gage resistances and calibrate a strain gage piece of equipment in laboratory conditions. The finite element method (FEM) simulation was performed in order to identify stress concentrated areas by strain gage attachments, and to determine optimum material properties for a DPFA prototype fabrication. New laboratory arrangements and theories of resistance force determination of a DPFA were developed in order to simulate different soil depths (0.15, 0.20, 0.25m) and apply a static load (5000N) in laboratory conditions. Unique practical knowledge was obtained in terms of different strain gage applications on the DPFA in its rigid form to obtain strain gage resistances. It was found that the strain sensitivity of the strain gages depended on the work dimensions of strain gage characteristics.