Measurement of Impact Acceleration of Apple Fruits and Its Analysis by Hertz's Impact Theory

Abstract

The impact acceleration of apples on the impact board by “drop test” was measured and recorded with a synchroscope employing strain-gage type accelerometer. The experiment proved that the calculated maximum impact acceleration of Hertz's theory for elastic body agreed with the observed acceleration. The Hertz's theory was extended to the case of carton-boxed apples. The experiment showed that the calculated acceleration was greater than or equal to the observed value because of the random movement of the apples and the random impact of the bottom board of the carton box, and the calculated acceleration gave the possible maximum limit. The minimum acceleration of 45 G was obtained to damage the apple by observing the cutting section of the impactedpart of applee.