Investigation of the effects of soil contamination on the mechanical properties of prepared sugarcane

A factorial experiment was designed and implemented to investigate the mechanical behaviour of prepared sugarcane (096) contaminated with soil under constrained uniaxial test conditions. Tests were conducted at three speeds on 2 kg specimens of cane prepared at two levels of fineness, bearing soil at four "dirt to fibre ratios" by mass, and replicated three times. The data from the experiment were analysed and fitted with a least squares linear regression model. High speed tests were limited by machine capacity and required special consideration in the analysis. Void ratio, and interaction terms involving platen speed with void ratio and dirt to fibre ratio, were found to have a significant effect on the mechanical response of prepared sugarcane. The contribution of blanket-wall friction is found to be less than 3% of peak platen load.