Viscoelastic Properties of Fruit Flesh(I) - Stress Relaxation Behavior -

과실(果實)의 점탄성(粘彈性) 특성(特性)(I) - 응력이완거동(應力弛緩擧動) -

Fruits are generally subjected to mechanical forces during harvesting, handling, and transportation that may cause damage in the form of bruises, punctures, and cracks. In order to prevent damage, and insure better quality fruits for consumers, it is very essential to study physical properties of these materials. The studies were conducted to examine the effect of storage period, storage condition, and other factors, such as loading rate and initial strain, on the stress relaxation behavior of the fruit flesh, and develop nonlinear viscoelastic models to represent its stress relaxation behavior. The following results were obtained from the study : 1. Since the viscoelastic behavior of the fruits flesh was nonlinear, the behavior was satisfactorily modelled as follows ; $${\delta}({\varepsilon},\;t)={\varepsilon}^A[B\;{\exp}(-Ct)+D\;{\exp}(-Ft)+G(-Ht)]$$ But, for the every strain applied, the stress relaxation behavior of the fruit flesh, such as apple and pear, could be well described by the Generalized Maxwell model, respectively. 2. The effect of loading rate on the stress relaxation behavior was remarkable. The higher loading rate resulted in the higher initial stress, and the faster stress relaxation. 3. The higher initial strain resulted in the higher initial stress, and stress relaxed at the large initial strain was also much higher than at the small initial strain. 4. Stress relaxation rate and quantity stored in the fruits at the low temperature storage were much higher than those at the normal temperature storage in the same storage period. Also, in all fruits tested, the longer storage period was the more relaxation rate and quantity were shown. These trends in the normal temperature condition was the more significant than in the low temperature condition.