Drying-Induced Stresses in Macaroni Dough

The mechanical effects like shrinkage and drying induced stresses arising during convective drying of macaroni dough are analyzed in this article. The aim of these studies is to test the sensitivity of macaroni dough on fracture formation caused by shrinkage during drying. The development of stresses was analyzed theoretically on the example of a thin plate placed on the impermeable metal plate, which simultaneously played the role of a waveguide for acoustic signals. The acoustic emission equipment with the sensor fixed to the metal plate enabled monitoring on-line the development of fractures occurring in the macaroni dough. Mechanical coefficient of this material were estimated experimentally. The studies have proved that an enhanced acoustic emission is observed at those instants when the stresses tended to their maximal values.