Mechanical Properties of Cashew Nut Under Compression Loading at Varied Moisture Contents

Abstract

In the present study, the moisture-dependent mechanical properties, i.e. rupture force, deformation and rupture energy along three different axes (i.e. L, B, T), of the cashew (Anacardium occidentale) varieties (Vengurle 1, Vengurle 3, Vengurle 4 and Vengurle 7) were studied at 17–85% db under compression loading. The rupture force decreases linearly (r2 ≥ 0.752) with the increase in moisture content from 17 to 85% db, for Vengurle 1 along length, width and thickness of 15,080–3467, 17,000–4275 and 21,014–3388 g; for Vengurle 3 along length, width and thickness of 25,090–4031, 26,000–3851, 31,256–3449 g; for Vengurle 4 along length, width and thickness of 22,000–3342, 21,000–3360, 27,000–3725 g; for Vengurle 7 along length, width and thickness of 20,900–5542, 25,080–5542 and 29,000–7009 g, respectively. The deformation at rupture increases linearly (r2 ≥ 0.671) with the increase in moisture content from 17 to 85% db, for Vengurle 1 along length, width and thickness of 2.1–2.98, 2.42–3.56 and 3.4–6.21 mm; for Vengurle 3 along length, width and thickness of 2.8–4.73, 2.65–4.3 and 4.21–6.16 mm; for Vengurle 4 along length, width and thickness of 4.2–6.89; 2.81–5.35 and 5.6–6.7 mm; for Vengurle 7 along length, width and thickness of 4.56–7.8, 3.2–5.56 and 6.2–7.27 mm, respectively. The rupture energy decreases linearly (r2 ≥ 0.720) with increase in moisture content from 17 to 85% db for Vengurle 1 along length, width and thickness of 143–36.58, 108–56 and 123–80.38 mJ; for Vengurle 3 along length, width and thickness of 271–59.54; 82.00–33.68 and 265–101 mJ; for Vengurle 4 along length, width and thickness of 136–80.96, 58.54–23.32 and 154–96.74 mJ; for Vengurle 7 along length, width and thickness of 273–98.26, 123–21.22 and 255–151 mJ, respectively. The rupture force was higher along thickness and decreases along width and length, and it was maximum for Vengurle 3 followed by Vengurle 7, Vengurle 4 and Vengurle 1. The deformation at rupture was higher along the thickness and decreases along width and thickness and was maximum at Vengurle 7 followed by Vengurle 4, Vengurle 3 and Vengurle 1, respectively. The rupture energy was higher at length for Vengurle 7 and decreases at Vengurle 3, followed by Vengurle 1 and Vengurle 4 along length of the cashew nut.