> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://2023.istvs.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://2023.istvs.org/submissions/papers/3797.md). # 3797 / Disturbed and naturally recovered soil surface as a ground for subsequent vehicle mobility... Paper presented at the 16th European-African Regional Conference of the ISTVS Title: Disturbed and naturally recovered soil surface as a ground for subsequent vehicle mobility operations Authors: Kersti Vennik Abstract: The passages for off-road military vehicles will leave behind disturbed soil conditions because vehicles compact and displace the layers of soil. One of the first visual signs of disturbance are ruts. Thus, former active combat areas can have a serious effect on subsequent operations and the mobility of vehicles. More precisely, an uneven soil surface will remarkably increase the vibration of travelling vehicles and over-compacted soil layers affect soil water dynamics that, in turn, have a long-lasting effect on soil strength. Previous studies have revealed that disturbed conditions can affect the physical parameters of soil for decades. Nevertheless, soil can naturally recover from being disturbed thanks to freezing-thawing cycles, wetting-drying cycles, and biological activity. However, the rate of recovery depends on the physical parameters of soil. The objective of this study was to monitor and summarize the natural recovery rate of soils with different texture and organic material content. As an experiment, we carried out a single pass and repeated passes with a military truck (total weight of 70 kN). The ruts that formed were monitored and soil samples were collected up to 2.5 years after wheeling. Measurements in the field included rut depth determination, penetrometer and bulk density as well as field-saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements. The results about the rate and severity of natural recovery on different soils are presented and discussed herein, including the overall conclusions about mobility conditions for follow-on military operations. Order the full paper: ISTVS members: receive three papers per year as part of your membership via the ISTVS Member Portal: --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://2023.istvs.org/submissions/papers/3797.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.