On the Operation Characteristics of a Bulldozer in the Land Consolidation Work : Studies on the Land Consolidation of Sloped Clayey Paddy Field(I)

The operation characteristics of a bulldozer in the land consolidation work of sloped clayey paddy fields, which are very common in Japan, were investigated. The operation consisted of 25-30% of cutting, 15-20% of banking, and 50-55% of pushing, scattering and leveling soils. The intermission taken by an operater was about 5-10% of the whole working hours. Cooperation of two bulldozers showed greater efficiency than one bulldozer. Operating distance of a bulldozer increased with the increment of its operation cycle, and there found were given parabolic equations between mean forward speed and its operating distance with highly significant correlation. The efficiency of a bulldozer in moving soils in this project was four or five times larger than in the common cases, and this fact points out the peculeatity of land consolidation work on sloped clayey fields. But when there were specially wetted places, which sometimes seen partially on such fields, the progression of work was significantly obstructed.