Strength of coffee beans under static and dynamic loading

Abstract

Paper deals with experimental research on the crushing of coffee beans of different kinds under quasi-static and dynamic compression. The process of the crushing is described in details. It has been shown that there is variability in the crushing strength values. A relation between crushing strength and the coffee grain shape is also studied. Roasted Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) beans were used for analyses. Arabica coffees were produced in different countries. All Arabica samples were submitted to a light roast. The detail analysis of the experimental data shows that there is no significant relation between parameters describing the fracture behaviour of the grains and grain geometry. These parameters are also independent on the grain weight. Compression of the coffee grains leads to their crushing. The fracture force is different for the different kinds of the coffee. The same is fact valid also for the strain at the fracture and for the energy absorbed during the grain crushing. Dynamic loading leads to the increase in the fracture force of coffee grains in comparison with the quasi static loading.