Determination of Mechanical Properties of Agricultural Powder Materials and Sugar to be Used in Silos Design

Abstract

Powder agricultural materials are usually stored inside silos. However, there is a lack of data in theliterature about mechanical properties of these materials. Numerical methods are commonly used forthe analysis of the behavior of the agricultural materials stored in silos. Nevertheless, the accuracyand efficiency of the results obtained when using these methods depend on the values of thematerial properties. A methodology previously used for granular agricultural materials is proposed inthis research for powder materials. Thus, mechanical properties for some of these materials can bedetermined. Triaxial, direct shear and oedometer tests among others were carried out fordetermining different parameters such as Poissons ratio, dilatancy angle and elasticity modulus. Thematerials tested were sugar and five types of flour, confectioners sugar, barley, corn, soya andwheat.