Bentleg furrow openers can significantly reduce soil disturbance and reaction forces relative to conventional narrow point openers used in no-tillage farming. The effect of bentleg opener geometry on soil disturbance and reaction forces in a cohesive soil was assessed in a virtual soil bin using the discrete element method. Soil disturbance and reaction forces at an operating depth and a speed of 100 mm and 8 km h⁻¹, were shown to be minimised by using (1) a shank lateral offset of 70 mm, (2) a side leg bend angle that ensures the elbow, which is the transition between the side leg and vertical shank, is not located below the soil surface, (3) an arched instead of angled elbow, (4) a cutting edge chamfer angle as low as practical, and (5) tine thickness as small as practical. Furrow size was found to be more dependent on shank lateral offset and side leg bend angle than side leg forward angle. Though side leg forward angles >90° reduce particle displacement and will work better in fields with stones and roots, they also considerably increase draught and penetration resistance. A low rake angled foot minimises soil reaction forces and drives soil loosening. Reducing foot height and interaction of the vertical shank with soil particles minimises surface soil displacement. These results have expanded the understanding of bentleg opener mechanics and are in close agreement with those reported for sandy soils. Therefore, similar criteria can be followed to optimise bentleg opener design for different soil types.

与免耕农业中使用的传统窄点开沟器相比，弯曲开沟器可以显着减少土壤扰动和反作用力。使用离散元方法在虚拟土壤箱中评估了弯管开沟器几何形状对粘性土壤中土壤扰动和反作用力的影响。在操作深度和速度为 100 mm 和 8 km h ^{-1 的}土壤扰动和反作用力，通过使用 (1) 70 mm 的小腿横向偏移，(2) 侧腿弯曲角度，确保作为侧腿和垂直小腿之间的过渡的肘部不位于土壤下方，从而最小化表面，(3) 拱形而不是成角度的弯头，(4) 切削刃倒角角度尽可能小，以及 (5) 尖齿厚度尽可能小。发现犁沟大小比侧腿前倾角度更依赖于柄横向偏移和侧腿弯曲角度。虽然侧腿前倾角 >90° 减少了颗粒位移，并且在有石块和树根的田地中效果更好，但它们也大大增加了抗吃水和抗穿透性。低前角脚可最大限度地减少土壤反作用力并推动土壤松散。降低脚的高度和垂直柄与土壤颗粒的相互作用可以最大限度地减少表层土壤位移。这些结果扩大了对弯腿开沟器力学的理解，并且与报告的砂质土壤的结果非常一致。因此，可以遵循类似的标准来优化不同土壤类型的弯腿开沟器设计。