Mechanical effects of cut tobacco sizes on softness characterized by discrete element method

LI Xiao; FENG Dongmin; GUO Pengwei; FANG Shihang; LI Yixin; LU Ke; JI Xiaonan

doi:10.12187/2025.03.010

Abstract：To investigate the effects of cut tobacco size distribution on softness and elucidate the underlying mechanisms causing variations in softness,a texture analyzer simulation model was developed using the discrete element method(DEM).This model was employed to measure cut tobacco softness,analyze the force response differences among various size fractions during testing,and explore their impacts on force chain evolution.By adjusting the size ratios,the variation patterns of softness were systematically examined.The results indicated that a higher proportion of tobacco particles exceeding 3.35 mm or below 1.00 mm was associated with reduced softness,while an increased proportion of tobacco within the size ranges of 1.00～2.50 mm and 2.50～3.35 mm correlated with improved softness.Tobacco particles in the 2.50～3.35 mm size range exerted the greatest influence on the force response during measurement.The average force experienced by tobacco particles decreased with decreasing particle size and became more uniformly distributed.Softer tobacco samples exhibited fewer medium-and high-strength force chains,which were also more uniformly distributed.The proportion of low-to-medium strength contacts between different size fractions increased with decreasing particle size.Rational increases in medium-sized(1.00～2.50 mm)and short(2.50～3.35 mm)tobacco fractions improved softness,while excessive proportions of long(＞3.35 mm)and fine(＜1.00 mm)particles degraded softness.Optimizing the size distribution by increasing the proportion of 1.00～3.35 mm particles and reducing fractions outside this range enhanced both the mechanical performance and softness under external loading.