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Agriculture
Volume 15
Issue 17
10.3390/agriculture15171818
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Design and Optimization of a Compact Machine for Laying and Pressing Straw Checkerboard Sand Barriers in Desert Areas

by
Yuan Qi
1,2,
Derong Kong
1,
Peng Zhang
1,
Yang Zhang
1,3,
Xiaobao Zheng
1,
Yonghua Su
3,
Xinbing Ma
4 and
Bugong Sun
1,*
1
Mechanical and Electronical Engineering College, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
2
Zhejiang Kingfit Environment Co., Ltd., Doctoral Innovation Station, Lishui 323000, China
3
Zhejiang Zhenhang Industrial Group Co., Ltd., Doctoral Innovation Station, Lishui 323000, China
4
Gansu Desert Control Research Institute, Lanzhou 730070, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agriculture 2025, 15(17), 1818; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15171818
Submission received: 2 July 2025 / Revised: 12 August 2025 / Accepted: 25 August 2025 / Published: 26 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Technology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Straw checkerboard sand barriers play a critical role in wind erosion control and dune stabilization. However, manual installation remains predominant, leading to low efficiency and inconsistent quality. To address this, a compact integrated machine was developed for straw checkerboard laying and pressing using rice straw. The design emphasizes the coordinated function of the straw distribution and pressing systems. Physical parameters of rice straw—average bundle length (<120 cm), repose angle (20.95°), and elastic modulus (1.65 MPa)—were measured to guide structural design. A 3D model of the machine and a multibody dynamic simulation of the distribution system were conducted to validate the mechanical configuration. Field trials were performed using straw mass per metre and average layer thickness as evaluation metrics. Single- and multi-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology yielded optimal parameters: conveyor shaft speed of 230 r/min, crankshaft speed of 227 r/min, and a third-stage tooth height of 0.03 m. Field tests in desert environments confirmed straw output of 0.2–0.4 kg/m, layer thickness of 2–3 cm, burial depth of 14.3–19.5 cm, and exposed height of 19.8–39.5 cm. Results meet quality specifications for barrier construction, demonstrating the machine’s strong applicability and potential for engineering deployment in desertification control.
Keywords: straw checkerboard sand barrier; mechanized laying; straw combing and distributing; design and optimization straw checkerboard sand barrier; mechanized laying; straw combing and distributing; design and optimization

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Qi, Y.; Kong, D.; Zhang, P.; Zhang, Y.; Zheng, X.; Su, Y.; Ma, X.; Sun, B. Design and Optimization of a Compact Machine for Laying and Pressing Straw Checkerboard Sand Barriers in Desert Areas. Agriculture 2025, 15, 1818. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15171818

AMA Style

Qi Y, Kong D, Zhang P, Zhang Y, Zheng X, Su Y, Ma X, Sun B. Design and Optimization of a Compact Machine for Laying and Pressing Straw Checkerboard Sand Barriers in Desert Areas. Agriculture. 2025; 15(17):1818. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15171818

Chicago/Turabian Style

Qi, Yuan, Derong Kong, Peng Zhang, Yang Zhang, Xiaobao Zheng, Yonghua Su, Xinbing Ma, and Bugong Sun. 2025. "Design and Optimization of a Compact Machine for Laying and Pressing Straw Checkerboard Sand Barriers in Desert Areas" Agriculture 15, no. 17: 1818. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15171818

APA Style

Qi, Y., Kong, D., Zhang, P., Zhang, Y., Zheng, X., Su, Y., Ma, X., & Sun, B. (2025). Design and Optimization of a Compact Machine for Laying and Pressing Straw Checkerboard Sand Barriers in Desert Areas. Agriculture, 15(17), 1818. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15171818

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