Evaluation of Fracture Resistance of Honey Bean Seed under Quasi Compressive Loading

Abstract

In this study, some fracture resistance (rupture force and rupture energy) of honey bean seed was investigated, in terms of three seed sizes (small, medium and large), three loading rates (15 mm/min, 20 mm/min and 25 mm/min), and three seed orientations (X, Y, and Z axes). The quasi-static compression of each bean seed was done by using the Universal Testing Machine. The results showed that the force and energy required for fracturing a bean seed is a function of the seed size, seed orientation and compression loading rate. In addition, the seed was generally less flexible in vertical orientation (Y-axis), than in the horizontal orientation (X and Y axes). The analysis of variance showed that the loading rate, seed size and seed orientation significantly (P ≤0.05) influenced the two mechanical parameters studied. Results indicated that rupture force and energy of the seed decreased with increased in the compression loading rate, across the three seed sizes and three seed orientations. In terms of seed size, the fracture resistance decreased with decrease in the seed size. According to the results, the average force and its corresponding energy of the Honey bean seed were found to vary from 118 N, 0.743 Nm in the seed Z-axis, at the loading rate of 15 mm/min to 42.16 N, 0.0213 Nm in the seed Y-axis, at the loading rate of 25 mm/min. The average rupture force of the large seed was about 45 % of that of small seeds, across the three loading rates.