| A field tillage tool carrier was constructed using a tractor trailer, hydraulic cylinder and steel construction material. Tillage tool blades of varying lengths, widths and angles of attack were fabricated from steel and were used in the study of the effect of tool rake angle, tool width and depth of operation on soil strength properties, draft, draft efficiency, volume of soil manipulated, degree of soil loosening and penetration resistance.;The results showed that the draft increased with tool rake angle and width. Operating at a depth of 150 mm and 100 mm depth did not make any significant difference on the draft requirement. Low angles of attack were observed to have a greater potential to loosen the soil, and the loosening increased to a depth of 150 mm then decreased. The draft efficiency was affected by the angle of attack as well as the depth of operation. The cross sectional area of the furrow and hence the volume of soil manipulated was seen to depend on the width of the tool and the operating depth.;Slender tools and high rake angles were found to loosen the soil better than wide ones. No distinct trend existed between depth to width aspect ratio and draft requirement. No variation was observed between draft efficiency and d/w ratio. Penetration resistance increased with depth of operation as well as distance from the furrow centre after tillage. Some areas of residual high strength were sometimes left within the sphere of influence of the tools. Some tools dealt with these omissions better than others. |
