Aaron Turner

Associate Professor
Ag. Mech. and Business Program
Agricultural Sciences Department

Office: 241 McAdams
Phone: 864-656-9869

Email: apturne@clemson.edu

Educational Background

Ph.D Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
University of Kentucky 2018

M.S. Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
University of Kentucky 2014

B.S. Mechanical Engineering Technology
New Mexico State University 2010

Courses Taught

AGM 2200- Calculations for Mechanized Agriculture
AGM 4000- Senior Seminar in Agricultural Mechanization and Business
AGM 4720- Capstone
AGM 4040/6040- Grain Handling and Storage
FDSC 4080- Food Engineering

Profile

My research is reflective of Clemson’s land-grant mission and focuses on applied research that seeks to improve the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production systems. In agricultural production, every bushel and dollar counts, especially when focusing on post-harvest systems. By the time crops reach this stage, all the effort throughout the year has been invested in maximizing yield. At this point, the key questions become: How can we efficiently harvest, handle, and store the crop, and how can we maximize the yield recovery and maintain quality? My research agenda primarily addresses engineering aspects of harvest and post-harvest systems (drying, handling, storage), and seeks to provide producers, engineers, and facility managers with better information and tools to effectively manage harvest and post-harvest operations. My research examines how sensors and agricultural data can be leveraged to allow producers to make better decisions, and to develop system models to improve the efficiency and sustainability of production.

Related to harvest logistics, my work explores issues related to harvest timing and losses. This includes developing models for grain harvest systems and applying site specific weather information to develop models for crop dry down.

Specific research focuses related to grain inventory include better quantifying grain handling losses and calibration of a science-based model for determining packing of grains in upright storage structures. Other post-harvest grain management interests include evaluating fan control strategies for natural air drying.

Research Interests

Harvest logistics
Grain inventory management
Biomass harvest strategies
Farm energy use
Precision agriculture

Extension and Outreach

Student Engagement Coordinator Clemson Center for Agricultural Technology: https://www.clemson.edu/cafls/cu-cat/index.html

SC AgrAbility: https://aged.sites.clemson.edu/faculty/layfield/agrabilitysc//

Publications

1. Turner, A.P. , J.P Chastain, H.F. Massey. (2024). Observed Energy Use by Broiler and Pullet Farms. AgriEngineering, 6(3), 2577-2591 doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering6030150.

2. Rogers, A., Dyck, G., Paliwal, J., Hildebrand, K., Montross, M.D., Turner, A.P. (2024). The Janssen effect and the Chini ordinary differential equation. Powder Technology. 436(2024). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2024.119493

3. Lovern, M. M., DiBenedetto, C. A., Turner, A. P., & Massey, H. F. (2024). Utilizing the Land-based Learning Model for the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service Agricultural Safety Program. Proceedings of the Southern Region meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.

4. Turner, A.P., A.B. Koc, R.H. Dean*. (2024). Coefficient of Dynamic Wall Friction for Hardwood Fuel Pellets. 15th International Congress on Agricultural Mechanization and Energy in Agriculture ANKAgEng’2023, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering vol 458. Springer doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51579-8_8

5. Turner, A.P., S.G. McNeill, M.D. Montross, M.E. Casada, S.A. Thompson, R.G. Maghirang, M.C. Petingco. (2023). Bulk compressibility behavior for select crops. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 39(5) doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.15593.

6. Dean, R. H., A.P. Turner, A.B. Koc, R. Karthikeyan. (2023). Influence of Moisture Content and Fine Levels on Angle of Repose for Pelletized Materials. Applied Engineering in Agriculture,39(2).141-152 doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.15141

7. Koc, A.B., B.M. MacInnas, M.J. Aguerre, J.P. Chastain, A.P. Turner. Alfalfa Biomass Estimation Using Crop Surface Modeling and NDVI. (2023). Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 34(2). 251-264. doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.15367

8. Petingco, M.C., M.E. Casada, R.G. Maghirang, S.A. Thompson, A.P. Turner, S.G. McNeill, M.D. Montross. (2022). Discrete element method simulation of wheat bulk density as affect by grain drop height and kernel size distribution. Journal of the ASABE. 65(3):555-566 doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/ja.14811

9. McIntyre, J.S., A.P. Turner, B.E. Teddy,B.B. Fogle, C.L. Butts, K. Kirk. (2022). Hopper-bottom trailer modified for peanut drying: design process using computational fluid dynamics modeling and measured field performance. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 38(3):477-488 doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.14869

10. Turner, A.P., J.J. Jackson, M.P. Sama, M.D. Montross. (2021). Impact of Delayed Harvest on Corn Yield and Harvest Losses. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 37(4):595-604 doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.14561

11. Turner, A.P., M.P. Sama, S.G.McNeill, J.S. Dvorak , T. Mark, M.D. Montross. (2019). A Discrete Event Simulation Model for Analysis of Farm Scale Grain Transportation Systems. ¬Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 167, 105040. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2019.105040

12. Casada, M. E., S. A. Thompson, P. R. Armstrong, S. G. McNeill, R. G. Maghirang, M. D. Montross, and Turner, A. P. (2019). Forces on Monitoring Cables During Grain Bin Filling and Emptying. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 35(3): 409-415 doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.13147

13. Turner, A.P., M.P. Sama, L.S. Bryson, and M.D. Montross. (2018). Effect of stem crushing on the uniaxial bulk compression behaviour of switchgrass and miscanthus. Biosystems Engineering. 175: p. 52-62. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2018.08.007

14. Petingco, M.C., M.E. Casada, R.G. Maghirang, S.A. Thompson, S.G. McNeill, M.D. Montross, and A.P. Turner. (2018). Influence of Kernel Shape and Size on the Packing Ratio and Compressibility of Hard Red Winter Wheat. Transactions of the ASABE. 61(4): p. 1437-1448. doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.12648

15. Bhadra, R., M.E. Casada, A.P. Turner, M.D. Montross, S.A. Thompson, S.G. McNeill, R.G. Maghirang, and J.M. Boac. (2018). Stored Grain Pack Factor Measurements for Soybeans, Grain Sorghum, Oats, Barley, and Wheat. Transactions of the ASABE, 61(2): p. 747. doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.12645

16. Turner, A.P., J.J. Jackson, N.K. Koeninger, S.G. McNeill, M.D. Montross, M.E. Casada, J.M. Boac, R. Bhadra, R.G. Maghirang, and S.A. Thompson. (2017). Stored Grain Volume Measurement Using a Low Density Point Cloud. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 33(1): p. 105-112. doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.11870

17. Bhadra, R., M.E. Casada, S.A. Thompson, J.M. Boac, R.G. Maghirang, M.D. Montross, A.P. Turner, and S.G. McNeill. (2017). Field-observed angles of repose for stored grain in the United States. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 33(1): p. 131-137. doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.11894

18. Hamidisepehr, A., M.P. Sama, A.P. Turner, and O.O. Wendroth. (2017). A Method for Reflectance Index Wavelength Selection from Moisture-Controlled Soil and Crop Residue Samples. Transactions of the ASABE. 60(5): p. 1479-1487. doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.12172

19. Bhadra, R., M.E. Casada, J.M. Boac, A.P. Turner, S.A. Thompson, M.D. Montross, R.G. Maghirang, and S.G. McNeill, Correlating bulk density (with dockage) and test weight (without dockage) for wheat samples. (2016). Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 32(6): p. 925-930. doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.32.11692

20. Jackson, J., A.P. Turner, T. Mark, and M.D. Montross. (2016). Densification of biomass using a pilot scale flat ring roller pellet mill. Fuel Processing Technology. 148: p. 43-49. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2016.02.024

21. Turner, A.P., M.D. Montross, S.G. McNeill, M.P. Sama, M.C. Casada, J.M. Boac, R.E. Bhadra, R.G. Maghirang, and S.A. Thompson. (2016). Modeling the compressibility behavior of hard red wheat varieties. Transactions of the ASABE. 59(3): p. 1029-1038. doi: https://10.13031/trans.59.11432

22. Turner, A.P., M.D. Montross, J.J. Jackson, S.G. McNeill, M.E. Casada, J.M. Boac, R. Bhadra, R.G. Maghirang, and S.A. Thompson. (2016) Error analysis of stored grain inventory determination. Transactions of the ASABE. 59(3): p. 1061-1072. doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.59.11501

23. Sama, M.P., J.T. Evans, A.P. Turner, and S.S. Dasika. (2016).As-applied estimation of volumetric flow rate from a single sprayer nozzle series using water-sensitive spray cards. Transactions of the ASABE. 59(3): p. 861-869. doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.59.11538

24. Boac, J.M., R. Bhadra, M.E. Casada, S.A. Thompson, A.P. Turner, M.D. Montross, S.G. McNeill, and R.G. Maghirang. (2015). Stored grain pack factors for wheat: Comparison of three methods to field measurements. Transactions of the ASABE. 58(4): p. 1089-1101. doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.58.10898

25. Bhadra, R., A.P. Turner, M.E. Casada, M.D. Montross, S.A. Thompson, J.M. Boac, S.G. McNeill, and R.G. Maghirang. (2015). Pack factor measurements for corn in grain storage bins. Transactions of the ASABE. 58(3): p. 879-890. doi:https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.58.11033

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