Statistical Models for Failure of Apple Tissue Under Constant‐strain‐rate Loading1

The normal, two‐parameter Weibull, and three‐parameter Weibull probability models were proposed for the strength of apple tissue drawing on previous theoretical work on fiber‐reinforced composite materials. To test the models, failure stress data were determined for 800 cylindrical specimens of apple tissue subjected to low strain rate compressive loading in an Instron Universal Testing Machine. The data were fitted to the probability models and the corresponding Kolmogorov‐Smirnov D‐statistics were calculated and compared to tabulated critical values. The statistical tests indicated that the failure stress data fitted the three‐parameter Weibull distribution, but did not fit either the normal or the two‐parameter Weibull distribution.