An Experiment on Crushing of Clay Clods by Tines

Abstract

As a partial study on the fundamental relation between crushing operation of soil and its optimum period, the authors applied various type of tines by static load method to cylinders made of clay which have different moisture contents and are 60mm in diameter and height, and measured resistance against crushing, properties of crushing, penetration, etc.
The relation between moisture ratio and resistance against crushing is shown in Fig. 2. Though I sphere which had larger moisture ratio than 45%, were easy in penetration, they were not crushed, and its trace only left. III sphere, which had moisture ratio less than 10%, increased in resistance suddenly owing to consolidation of clay clods, and soil crushing became difficult. Such being the case clay clods in the II sphere which had an intermediate moisture ratio are desirable from the viewpoint of crushing nature. And pierceing type and sharp cutting type are preferable for tines. Around 30% moisture ratio in case of the former type and 33-42% of the same in case of the latter type are considered to be the optimum period for crushing soil respectively.