MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SOYBEAN COTYLEDON AND FAILURE STRENGTH OF SOYBEAN KERNELS

ABSTRACT The relaxation modulus, ultimate compressive and tensile strength of soybean cotyledon were determined using stress relaxation, compression, and bending tests. The master curve for the cotyledon relaxation modulus was derived using the time-moisture and time-temperature shifting technique. Both the relaxation modulus and the ultimate strength were lower at higher moisture contents during drying at higher temperatures. A two-term Maxwell model was derived to describe the behavior of the soybean cotyledon. The soybean cotyledon can be treated as a thermo-hydro-rheologically simple viscoelastic material.