Prediction of Internal Bruising in Cantaloupe by Nonlinear FEM Model Using ABAQUS Software

Mechanical damagesin theprocessof harvestingandpost-harvest are the most important reason in Cucurbits losses. It causes the tissue destructionand consequentfruits decay. Because of difference in the mechanical strength of flesh and skin of cantaloupe، internal bruising are more usual damages with no visibility. This type of injuriesis hard to predict byanalytical methods. In this study،the mechanical properties of skin and flesh were determined by individual experiments and then finite element model was developed by ABAQUS software. The applied displacements on model were equal to 5. 5، 11 and 16. 5 mm or 10، 20 and 30% of final deformation، respectively. The analytical results showedthat the internal tissue of fruit got to yield in 20%of whole displacementor in 90N force and the internal failure were occurred that it was not visible in the surface of fruit. The model was verified by the comparison of force-displacement graph from experimental data and FEM results. High correlation (R2=0. 983) between the predicted force and the actual force showed the validity of FEM model.