A series of tests was performed in winter 1996 to measure degradation of paper mulches with the help of physical and mechanical properties. Four types of paper used for mulching, kraft paper gauge 40, 60 and 80 and waxed paper were laid over soil in two growth chambers. They were kept under observation for 27 days under controlled temperature, humidity and light. Mulches were sprayed with water to simulate rain. Tensile and puncture tests were performed on each type of paper every day. Four mechanical properties; stress, strain, energy and tensile energy absorption were calculated from the force-deformation curve obtained by tensile test. Two mechanical properties; displacement and force to break were calculated from the force-deformation curve obtained by puncture test. A special die had to be designed to perform puncture tests. This design eliminated shear loading which otherwise would have been present in normal puncture tests. / Results showed that paper - 3 (kraft paper gauge - 80) was best suited for mulching as the mechanical properties were stable through 27 days with negligible fluctuations. Waxed paper required less force to break but was stable through 27 days of experimentation. / A three-way factorial model was developed to analyze the results statistically. A SAS program was written to model the results. The fitted model was in very good agreement with the actual values.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.20229 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Krishnamurthy, Harish. |
| Contributors | Norris, Eric (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001657839, proquestno: MQ44091, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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