Quasi-static breakage of corn particles

Keppler, István and Huang, J. (2025) Quasi-static breakage of corn particles. HUNGARIAN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING (44). pp. 17-28. ISSN 0864-7410

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Abstract

This study investigates the quasi-static fracture behavior of individual corn kernels under uniaxial compression. Experiments were conducted using an Instron 5965 universal testing machine at a loading rate of 1 mm min⁻¹ on four geometrically different kernel types: elongated, flat, square, and round. The recorded force–displacement curves revealed a four-stage fracture process involving elastic deformation, micro- damage initiation, progressive crack propagation, and final crushing. The results show that kernel geometry has a significant effect on compressive strength and fracture energy, with elongated kernels exhibiting the highest mean load (≈ 580 N) and round kernels showing the most stable response. The absorbed fracture energy ranged between 0.17 and 0.22 mJ per kernel. These findings provide a quantitative foundation for calibrating discrete element method (DEM) simulations of kernel breakage under storage and handling conditions, contributing to more accurate prediction of mechanical damage in bulk grain systems.

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