Strength Properties of Shea-Butter Nuts Under Compressive Loading

Compression tests were performed on heat-treated Shea-butter nuts to study the effects of temperature and loading position on rupture force, deformation, toughness and firmness of the nuts. The factors examined had significant effects on the measured parameters (rupture force, deformation, toughness and firmness) at 95% confidence level. Rupture force, deformation and toughness decreased while firmness increased with increases in temperature in both axial and lateral loading positions. Higher values of firmness but lower values of rupture force, deformation and toughness were obtained when Shea-butter nuts were compressed in lateral loading position compared with axial loading position under the same conditions.