System and method for distributing and compressing crop material for ensilage

A method for compressing crop material for ensilage, the method comprising:

• monitoring, with a computing device, a location of a work vehicle within a silage heap as the work vehicle traverses a layer of crop material within the silage heap;
• determining, with the computing device, a current density of the layer of crop material as the work vehicle traverses the layer of crop material, wherein the layer of crop material comprises a top layer of a plurality of layers of crop material within the silage heap, the plurality of layers further comprising a preceding layer positioned directly below the top layer;
• and
• controlling, with the computing device, an operation of the work vehicle based on the monitored location and the determined current density such that the work vehicle compresses the layer of crop material.

A system for compressing crop material for ensilage, the system comprising:

• a work vehicle;
• a sensor configured to capture data indicative of a current density of a layer of crop material within a silage heap, wherein the sensor comprises a location sensor configured to capture data indicative of a height of a top surface of the layer of crop material, the location sensor communicatively coupled to the controller;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to:
• monitor the height of the top surface of the layer of crop material based on data received from the location sensor;
• determine the current density of the layer of crop material based on the monitored height;
• and
• control an operation of the work vehicle based on the determined current density as the work vehicle is traversed across the layer of crop material within the silage heap such that the work vehicle compresses the layer of crop material.