Prediction of bruising susceptibility in white radish (Raphanus sativus L.) using FEA-RSM technique

Abstract

Predicting the bruise susceptibility of white radish can provide guidance for proper post-harvest handling and storage operations. The objective of this research was to assess the susceptibility of newly harvested white radishes to bruising in various impact situations by employing finite element analysis (FEA) and the response surface methodology (RSM). The accurate form of the white radish was acquired using reverse engineering (generating a finite element model of white radish with consistent dimensional data using scanning techniques), leading to the creation of a two-layer material finite element model representing the vegetable. Information and deformation visuals were gathered through the integration of three prevalent impact contact materials (steel, neoprene, and PVC) with three varying impact heights (1.0 m, 1.5 m, and 2.0 m) and three distinct impact angles (−30°, 0°, and 30°) in order to simulate the collisions effectively. Based on the above method, the values of bruise susceptibility of white radish under various impact scenarios were obtained. With the use of response surface analysis, the empirical model was established to predict the bruising susceptibility of white radish. The accuracy of the predictive model is compromised by the issue of multiple collisions. the relative error between the empirical model prediction results and the drop test results was within 14.72 %. These findings suggest that the model can describe the susceptibility of white radish to bruising on specific impact platforms for various impact scenarios. This study offers guidance for white radish harvesting and storage, while also fostering the development of future research utilizing nonlinear explicit dynamic simulation techniques anchored in numerical methodologies to examine complex deformation and impact studies, as well as industrial applications related to agriculture and food.