Pizza3: A general simulation framework to simulate food-mechanical and food-deconstruction problems.

Area of Science:

• Food science and engineering
• Computational mechanics
• Material science

Background:

• Current mesh-based simulations struggle with complex food behaviors like large deformations and failures.
• Continuum mechanics has limitations in modeling free boundaries and non-homogenized food properties.
• Computer-aided food design is hindered by dynamic microstructures and bolus transformations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an innovative simulation framework for continuous modeling of food mechanical behaviors.
• To address limitations of continuum mechanics in food processing, storage, deconstruction, and digestion.
• To provide new tools for computer-aided food design and understanding in-mouth texture perception.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an explicit microstructural representation with "food atoms" based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics.
• Modeling solid phases with pairwise forces (bond-peridynamics) for large deformations and fracturing.
• Simulating liquid phases with artificial forces for partial compressibility and using Hertzian contact mechanics for object-fluid interactions.

Main Results:

• Successfully modeled three time-dependent 3D scenarios, validated against analytical and experimental data.
• Demonstrated the framework's ability to handle interactions between rigid/soft objects and fluids.
• Extended the model to complex cases not adequately addressed by current literature.

Conclusions:

• The "food atom" approach effectively simulates food mechanical behaviors across various stages.
• This methodology overcomes limitations of traditional continuum mechanics for food applications.
• The framework offers novel insights into food texture perception and enhances food engineering capabilities.