The application of dynamic loads in the soil, produces stress in wheel/soil interface in surface and depth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the compaction and superficial settlement of an Oxisol under different traffic levels under field and laboratory conditions; and to propose a methodology for dynamic load test, from traffic of the pneumatic wheel, applicable in the laboratory. In the field an agricultural tractor was used and in laboratory a traffic simulator. In the two experiments a randomized block design in split plots with four replications was adopted. The plots consisted of two tire inflation pressure: 96.5 and 137.9 kPa, and the subplots were five traffic intensities: zero (control), one, two, four and eight passes of the tractor or wheel simulator, according to the experiment. The variables measured were density of dry soil, degree of compactness and superficial settlement. The first two variables were analysed in the depth of 0-0.10 m. The traffic simulator was adequate to reproduce the situation observed in the field.
agricultural machineries; simulator of traffic; degree of compactness
