Synopsis
Mechanical engineering methods have been used to examine the forces and stresses produced on the shell when eggs are dropped on to cage floors of typical commercial design. Both theoretical calculation and computer simulation techniques were used.
The appropriate mathematical formulae are given in detail, and the results of the computer simulation, embodying all the physical characteristics of the structures, are described. In the simulation these characteristics were varied to show their effects and their relative importances in cage design. The most important characteristic was found to be the mass or inertia of the cage floor material initially contacted by the falling egg. Stiffness of egg shell was also important but stiffness of cage floor and total weight of cage floor and weight of egg were much less so.