Aug 2026· INMATEH Agricultural Engineering· 0 citations· 10 references
Abstract
To investigate the effects of moisture content on the compressive mechanical properties of sweet potato roots, this study used three sweet potato varieties (Zishu, Hongyao, and Xiguahong) cultivated in the Tianjin region as experimental materials. Experiments were conducted between October 8, 2025, and January 8, 2026, in a laboratory environment maintained at 20°C ± 2°C and 50% ± 5% relative humidity. The test employed a moisture content measurement method based on storage duration, measuring moisture content every 10 days. Simultaneously, compressive mechanical property tests were performed using an INSTRON 3344 series universal material testing machine under conditions of a 10 mm/min loading speed and a maximum pressure of 1500 N. The maximum rupture force, maximum deformation, and elastic modulus of sweet potatoes at different moisture contents were determined. Data analysis was conducted using Design-Expert 13 software. The results indicated that the variation patterns of moisture content were similar across the different sweet potato varieties. The moisture content decreased rapidly during the initial storage period, showed a brief increase in the middle stage, and then continued to decline at a slower rate in the later stage. Moisture content significantly affected the compressive mechanical properties of sweet potatoes. As the moisture content decreased, the elastic modulus and maximum rupture force increased, while the maximum deformation decreased.
This study quantitatively evaluates the combined effects of moisture content, compaction coefficient, and the number of freeze-thaw cycles on the deformation properties of clayey soils. The study was conducted under laboratory conditions. Soil samples with varying moisture contents ranging from 14% to 25% and compaction coefficients from 0.93 to 1.06 were prepared and subjected to varying numbers of freeze-thaw cycles (1–6 cycles). Control samples not subjected to freeze-thaw cycles were also tested. All samples were tested in a compression tester with loads ranging from 0 to 0.6 MPa. Based on the processing and analysis of test reports, dependences of sample deformations on load were obtained for different combinations of initial soil sample properties. It was noted that all the factors considered influence the increase in deformations, and the relationship between deformations and moisture content for all compaction coefficients considered increases with increasing freezing cycles, while the relationship between deformations and compaction coefficients decreases across the entire moisture content range.
V. Shapovalov, M. Okost, A. V. Morozov et al.· Вестник Ростовского государс...· 0 citations
This study investigates the influence of straw incorporation on the hygroscopic behavior of plaster-based composites for sustainable building applications. Two formulations were prepared using plaster with 0% and 3% straw content by mass in order to evaluate the effect of lignocellulosic fibers on moisture-related properties. Sorption tests were carried out under controlled hygrothermal conditions at relative humidity levels of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% using a climatic chamber. In addition, the Moisture Buffer Value (MBV) was determined according to the NORDTEST protocol to assess the ability of the materials to regulate indoor humidity fluctuations. The results showed that the incorporation of straw significantly enhanced the hygroscopic performance of the plaster composite. The equilibrium moisture content increased progressively with relative humidity for both samples, while the composite containing 3% straw exhibited higher moisture adsorption capacity at all humidity levels. Moreover, the MBV increased considerably from approximately 0.6 g/(m
2
•%RH) for the reference plaster to about 2.9 g/(m2•%RH) for the straw-based composite. These findings highlight the potential of straw-plaster composites as bio-based materials for passive indoor humidity regulation and improved hygrothermal comfort in buildings.
M. Medini, Mohamed El Haim, Abdelouafi El Ghoulbzouri et al.· E3S Web of Conferences· 0 citations
The study investigated the effects of osmotic pretreatment and drying temperature on drying kinetics, heat and mass transfer and quality attributes of sweet potato slices. Mature sweet potato were sliced into 2, 4 and 6 mm thicknesses and subjected to osmotic pretreatment using NaCl, CaCl2 and C6H8O6 solutions at concentration of 5, 10 and 15% (w/v) for 4, 6, and 8 hours. Drying experiments were conducted in a hot air oven dryer at 50, 60 and 70°C. The results showed that moisture reduction during osmotic pretreatment significantly increased (p<0.005) with increasing solution concentration, soaking time, and drying temperature, ranging from 12.84 ± 0.31% in the control sample to 43.54 ± 0.67% in treated samples, whereas thinner slices recorded faster moisture migration. Samples pretreated with 15% NaCl recorded the highest moisture loss (27.48 ± 0.41% to 44.73 ± 0.66 %) and fastest drying rate, whereas untreated samples showed slower moisture reduction. Effective moisture diffusivity ranged from (1.12 ± 0.05) × 10 − 8 to (4.21 ± 0.14) × 10 − 8 m2/s in NaCl-treated samples at 70°C and increased with temperature and pretreatment intensity. The Midilli et al. model best described the drying behavior, producing the highest coefficient of determination (R2= 0.997) and lowest root mean square error (RMSE= 0.008). Drying at 60°C provided an optimal balance between drying efficiency, energy utilization, and sweet potato quality.
H. K. Bako, Moses Zipporah· Journal of Science Research...· 0 citations
High-temperature drying can considerably improve drying efficiency. However, information on its impact on the mechanical properties of silver fir during industrial high-temperature drying remains limited. Elevated drying temperatures may induce changes in wood structure that can influence mechanical performance. This study evaluated the effect of high-temperature drying schedules based on industrially applied temperature levels (120 °C and 150 °C) on selected mechanical properties of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). Wood samples were kiln-dried at 120 °C and 150 °C, conditioned to equilibrium moisture content, and tested for impact bending strength, tensile strength perpendicular to the grain, and Janka hardness. Because the experimental material originated from a single silver fir tree, the findings should be interpreted as describing responses within the investigated material rather than as population-level effects for silver fir. The results showed that drying at 150 °C was associated with a tendency toward reduced values of selected mechanical properties; however, the effect of drying temperature was not statistically significant for impact bending strength. ANOVA showed that specimen thickness significantly affected impact bending strength and Janka hardness, whereas drying temperature had a significant effect only on tensile strength perpendicular to the grain. The lowest mean values were observed in the β-150 group, with impact bending strength of 5.4 J·cm−2 and tensile strength perpendicular to the grain of 2.3 MPa. The mean oven-dry density was 456.9 kg·m−3, while only weak relationships between density and mechanical properties were observed (r2 = 0.023–0.178). This suggests that factors related to drying conditions may contribute to variability in mechanical performance beyond the effect of density alone. Thus, the effects of the investigated drying conditions were property-specific rather than consistently attributable to drying temperature. Within the investigated material, these results indicate that the optimization of high-temperature drying schedules should consider both drying parameters and variability in mechanical properties.
M. Kvietková, O. Dvořák, Chia-feng Lin et al.· Forests· 0 citations
This study examined the influence of hot-air drying temperature on the moisture ratio (MR), drying rate (DR), effective moisture diffusivity (Deff), color characteristics (L, a, b, C, and ΔE), and hardness (N) of purple carrot slices. A clear temperature-dependent response was observed for both the drying behavior and the quality attributes of the samples. Increasing the drying-air temperature resulted in a shorter drying period. The mean DR values obtained under the different drying conditions ranged from 0.0062 to 0.0201 g moisture/g dry matter·min. The calculated Deff values were within the range of 9.66 × 10⁻⁹ to 3.37 × 10⁻⁸ m²/s. Temperature also altered the color characteristics of the fresh purple carrot slices; specifically, the L and b values differed significantly from those of the fresh samples (p < 0.05). The α color values of fresh samples were preserved at 55 ºC and 65 ºC, the C color value at 55 ºC, and the ΔE color value at 55 ºC (p>0.05). The N values of fresh purple carrot slices are preserved at 75 ºC (p<0.05). Based on the findings, a temperature of 75 °C is recommended for the MR, DR, Deff, and N parameters, while a temperature of 55 °C is recommended for color characteristics.
Muhammed Taşova, Samet Kaya Dursun· Gazi Osman Paşa Üniversitesi...· 0 citations
The effects of different drying modes on moisture distribution and cutting power was investigated for beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) from northern Poland. Samples (70 mm × 1000 mm) were subjected to air-drying (25 °C) and gas-steam drying (at 90 °C and 105 °C). Moisture content was measured across the cross-section, and cutting power was measured on a narrow-kerf frame sawing machine. The wood resistance was found to depend on moisture content and drying conditions, with higher resistance observed in normal (90 °C) and high-temperature (105 °C) gas-steam drying processes. Cutting power increased linearly with feed per tooth under all drying conditions, ranging from approximately 400 to 1100 W, with the strongest dependence observed for wood dried at 90 °C (r2=0.9364), while both feed per tooth and drying temperature significantly affected the sawing process. Boxplot analysis confirmed clear differences between drying regimes, showing the highest cutting resistance for air-dried samples, while thermally dried wood (90 °C and 105 °C) exhibited lower median cutting power values. Differences between 90 °C and 105 °C were minor. Although drying may influence thermal conductivity and dimensional stability, these effects were minimal at 105 °C due to conditioning, and both feed per tooth and drying temperature significantly affected the sawing process.
J. Barański, A. Suchta, Tatiana Vilkovská et al.· BioResources· 1 citation
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