Construction and analysis of a mechanical model for viscoelasticity and plasticity in potato

The aim of this paper is to develop a precise collision model of potatoes falling onto a separation sieve to assess their damage characteristics. A viscoelastic-plastic mechanics model is created by integrating the collision process with the potato soil separation device. Test factors include fall height, potato mass, fall direction, and varieties. Potato deformation and damage volume serve as evaluation indices in single-factor tests to explore their relationships with these factors. The model analyzes the collision loading and unloading process, studying relationships between parameters and test factors, examining the potato collision damage mechanism. Predictive equations for potato damage volume based on fall height, potato mass, and plasticity ratio λ_p are derived: V₁ = 1606λ_p–537, V2 = 4751λ_p–2087, and V₃ = 12617λ_p–5303. This study provides a theoretical foundation for analyzing potato collision damage and offers technical references for optimizing potato harvesting machinery.

Practical applications

Damage resulting from the mechanical harvesting process significantly impacts the quality and economic worth of the tubers. Currently, research on constructing a mechanical model of potatoes, treating them as viscoelastic plastic bodies, and integrating the collision process with potato soil separation devices is limited. Thus, the objective of this paper is to investigate the correlation between various test factors and potato damage via drop tests, and to establish a viscoelastic–plastic mechanical model. Additionally, the study further explored the correlation between model parameters and tuber damage, resulting in the establishment of a mathematical model for predicting the extent of damage. This study provides a theoretical basis for an in-depth analysis of the collision damage mechanism of potato, and a technical reference for the design and optimization of potato harvesting machinery.