CHARACTERISTICS OF ADHESION BETWEEN SOIL AND SOLID-SURFACES

The capillary attraction and viscous resistance caused by a water film between two solid surfaces were evaluated theoretically. The surface morphology of soil at the soil-solid adhesion interface was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The contact models of the soil adhesion interface are given and mechanism of the normal adhesion is discussed. The wettability and normal soil adhesion of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet, polyethersulforne (PES)-PTFE coating, enamel coating, iron base alloy-epoxy composite coating and the conventional material were determined. The draft force of ploughs with mouldboards coated with PES-PTFE, enamel and iron base alloy-epoxy and the conventional mouldboard plough were measured. The soil surface at the soil-solid interface displays rough structure at various sizes. The adhesion force between soil and solid is mainly composed of Laplace pressure, meniscus tension and viscous resistance caused by water film and loops. Polymers can reduce both normal adhesion and sliding resistance, whereas, enamel coating or iron base alloy-epoxy composite coating can reduce the sliding resistance to some extent.