COMPACT – A Reclamation Soil Compaction Model Part I. Model Development

A physically based, event oriented soil compaction model, known as COMPACT, was developed as a management or research tool to evaluate the effect of surface mining systems on compaction of soil material during reclamation. Simulation of compaction throughout the soil profile at a surface mining reclamation site requires information describing how equipment moves on the site. The compaction processes that are caused by vehicles throughout the soil profile are described by applying the pressure distribution of the surface contact area of a tire or track to determine stresses in the soil profile. A virgin compression curve is then used to determine bulk density at any point within the soil profile. COMPACT predicts compaction of reconstructed patterns, type of vehicles, and type of soil material. Development of the simulation model is described in this article.