LAUSR

The current work presents an experimental procedure to determine the mechanical characteristics of individual biomass particulate materials, including comparatively spherical olive pulp particles and hollow cylindrical hay particles. This study also provides a comparison between the mechanical characteristics of wet and dry olive pulp particles. The strength and elastic properties of olive pulp particles were measured by conducting an uniaxial compression tests. For hay particles, the properties were measured by conducting compression tests in axial and radial directions, and three-point bending tests. The analysis of radial compression tests with hollow cylindrical particles was introduced in this paper, using the theory underlying the analysis of curved beams subjected to bending. The results indicated that small soft olive pulp particles are stronger and stiffer than large particles, and that wet olive pulp particles are weaker and softer than dry particles.