Finite element analysis and experimental verification of wheat grain under compression loads

In order to reduce the mechanical damage of wheat grain in the harvest, storing, transporting process and master the comminution mechanism, mechanical model of compressing wheat grain was established by the finite Element Method, and the stress distribution was analyzed. Compression tests had been conducted on wheat grain at different moisture contents by using universal hydraulic test equipment. Three types compression tests results showed that the elastic modulus of wheat grain was 98.86-206.59 MPa, the yield strength was 0.8-1.95 MPa, the failure load are 63.44-154.77 N, the maximum strain was 0.71%-1.02%. The results showed that the failure load, elastic modulus and yield strength were descended obviously with the increase of moisture contents. The failure load of B type was maximum and H was the minimum with the same moisture contents. Meanwhile the elastic modulus and yield strength of B and L were higher than H. The main failure form of wheat grain is the cracks appearing near the ventral groove. The compression test results and Finite Element solutions were compared, which showed that the maximal difference between them was 12%. The simulation numerical solution is confirmed by comparing with the experiment data