BENDING AND CUTTING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COTTON STALKCh Sravan Kumar, K.V. Prakash, Sanjeeva Reddy, Sushilendra,P. Vijaykumar, Krishnamurty and M. NemichandrappaAbstract The bending stress, modulus of elasticity and cutting energy was measured for Cotton stalks. The bendingforce was measured by a cantilever beam test in field at different moistures contents and at height of 100mm and different stalkgirths, the bending stress and modulus of elasticity was determined from thesedata. The cutting energy was measured by using pendulum impact tester. Maximum bending stress of 7.85MPa was observed at 26 mm stalk girth with 10 ±5 % (w.b) moisture content. Minimum bending stress of2.55 MPa was observed at 14 mm girth with 30±5 %(w.b) moisture content. Maximum modulus of elasticityof 40.29 MPa was observed at 26 mm girth with 10±5 % %(w.b) moisture content. Minimum modulus ofelasticity of 23.14 MPa was observed at 14 mm girth with 30±5 % (w.b) moisture content. It was observedthat the maximum cutting energy of 583.37 kJ were observed for 26 mm stalk girth with 10 ±5 % (w.b)moisture content and minimum cutting energy of 72.32 kJ was observed at 30 ± 5 % (w.b) moisture content(w.b) for 14 mm stalk girth. Bending stress increased as the stalk girth increased and decreased as themoisture content increased. Modulus of elasticity increased as the stalk girth increased and decreased asthe stalk moisture increased. The cutting energy of cotton stalk increased as the moisture content decreasedand the stalk girth increased. The velocity of cut increased as the stalk girth increased at all three moisturecontents. |