Certain elements in the mechanics of agricultural products may be observed

as far back as the turn of the century, and then in the period between the two World
Wars when Jannsen [146] and later Gutjar [147], accounted for the mechanical
behavior of bulk materials in their silo theory, whereby reliable rating of large silo
storage structures became possible. The study of the laws of the compaction of
fibrous forage materials for the rating of baling presses, as well as the examination
and analysis of cutting processes, also begin in the period with the works of
Gorjachkin among others.
The range of these studies was extended in the period after 1945, and
intensive research began all over the world. Professor Zheligovski initiated
publication of the series Zemledolcheskaia Mekhanika (Agricultural Mechanics),
whose early 1960s Professor Macepuro in Minsk edited numerous volumes
contained papers presented Voprosi SeIskokhoziaistvennoi Mekhaniki ( Problems
of agricultural Mechanics ) publishing detailed elaboration in specialized fields. Also,
the study of agricultural products and the determination of materials laws, and their
application, gained ever-increasing importance at the annual conferences of the
ASAE in the united states.
The subjects of the mechanics of agricultural products has been extended
continually since its beginning, not only to the material laws related to mechanical
loading its beginning, not only to the material laws related to mechanical loding and
its method of application, but also to the study of other characteristic properties
relevant to agricultural engineering. Thus, thermal, optical and electrical properties,
and their application, now appear regularly in the thematic range of agricultural
mechanics. Moisture content affects the mechanical and oher (thermal, optical and
electrical) properties of most agricultural materials decisively and so investigations
of the adsorpation and desorption of water by these materials must also be included
among the tasks of the research worker.
Agricultural engineering has relied for a long time on empirical data and
knowledge. The multiplicity of agricultural products, their complex biological
structure and the continuous variation of their properties and of the laws governing
their behavior, involving very complicated interactions and relationship, prevented
the elaboration of reliable theories and dimensioning methods for a long time. A
certain amount of progress became possible when more systematic experimental
results became available, of which through analysis and correlation permitted
certain generalizations. This situasion has not changed greatly even now : although
a large amount of experimental data is already avalaible, the majority either has not
yet been evaluated suitably permit any generalization, or this evaluation is still in
progress.
One of the most important tasks in the further study of the mechanics of
agricultural materials is the elaboration of calculation methods permitting the
utilization of known material laws and physical properties in the design and

simulation of machines and technological processes. Since the material laws

involved are complex (they depend on numerous factors, and are nonlinear), the
elaboration and application of calculation methods also presents a difficult task.
In most branches of agricultural production, mechanization has become
general. However mechanization has unwelcome implications in several fields :
losses at harvest may be high and products may be damaged during mechanical
operations, whereby their quality is reduced or they eventually become valueless.
These losses are specially high during gathering and handling of fruits and
vegetables. Mechanization is also significantly limited by the need to preserve the
germination capacity in the case of seeds.
Reduction of losses due to damage and preversation of the quality of
products are possible only by taking the relevant material laws and properties into
account intentionally. Knowledge of the properties of agricultural materials permits
the design of more modern machines and technological processes with improved
work quality characteristic, involving lower losses and more efficient operation. In
this respect the mechanics of agricultural materials is of great importance and this
explains the fast development of this young discipline. It may be foreseen with
certainty that the mechanics of agricultural materials will become the basic subject
of agricultural engineering.