Determination of physical and mechanical properties of Zucchini (summer squash)

Abstract

Abstract: Several physical and mechanical properties of Zucchini from Kermanshah province of Iran were determined.  The physical and mechanical properties of the zucchini are necessary for the design of automatic equipment for harvesting, processing, transporting, sorting and separating of samples.  At the average moisture content of 94.65% w.b., average of mass, volume, dimensions (big, medium and small diameters), geometric mean diameter, projected area (big, medium and small area), criteria areas, arithmetic means diameter, sphericity, density and surface area were 80.81 g, 85 cm³, 111.7 mm, 34.58 mm, 33.87 mm, 51.74 mm, 3892.52 mm², 3792.07 mm², 1126.44 mm², 2937.02 mm², 60.05 mm, 45.49%, 0.96 g/cm³ and 8268.20 mm², respectively, and ratio of weight of rind per weight of fruit was 0.25.  Mechanical properties that measured including elasticity modulus, maximum force which fruit can be supported, work which performed to this force under compression loading, deformation at maximum force and penetration force, their averages were found 0.73 GPa, 167 N, 762.82 N.mm, 8.81 mm and 1.26 N, respectively.

Keywords: Zucchini, physical and mechanical properties, compression loading, penetration force