Browsing by Author "Starke, Megan Marya"
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- ItemMaterial and structural modelling of corrugated paperboard packaging for horticultural produce(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Starke, Megan Marya; Coetzee, Corne; Opara, Umezuruike Linus; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Corrugated paperboard is the primary packaging material for fresh horticultural produce and plays an integral part in protecting the produce from mechanical damage throughout the cold chain journey. Bruising is the most common form of mechanical damage to fresh produce and is responsible for increased food waste and the associated financial losses. Due to the difficulties in predicting the strength of corrugated paperboard packaging, cartons are often over-designed to withstand the high relative humidity (RH) conditions and large stacking loads during cold storage, and the impact and vibrational loads during transport operations. This thesis further investigates the finite element method (FEM) as a design tool for corrugated paperboard packaging. A simplified material model of the corrugated sandwich structure, in which the corrugated core was reduced to an equivalent homogeneous core, was developed and validated. The material model is based on experimentally obtained material properties for the corrugated board constituents. An experimental study was conducted to investigate the mechanical behaviour of the Mk 4 carton during box compression testing. The Mk 4 carton is one of the primary packaging designs for exporting pome fruit in South Africa. Three different FEM boundary conditions were replicated to investigate their effects on the load-displacement response of the carton. Digital image correlation (DIC) was used to measure the out-of-plane displacement field, and a Tekscan pressure mapping sensor was used to characterize the load distribution between the base of the carton and the platen of the compression tester. A nonlinear finite element (FE) model of the Mk 4 telescopic carton was developed (using the simplified material model) and validated with experimental results. Eight-node solid-shell elements were used in the model, and the touching contact between the inner- and the outer carton was considered in the analyses. The model predicts a collapse load within 3% of the measured value, and there is good agreement between the buckled shape of the model and that of the physical cartons. The model predicts a maximum out-of-plane displacement within 35% of the measured value from the DIC results. The FE model can be used as a design tool if the objective is to design based on compression strength and material requirements. Further work is required to improve the model’s load-deformation response.