Abstract: In order to develop a normalized quantitative characterization method for the processing intensity of tobacco cylinder drying process, an index reflecting the thermal processing intensity of tobacco was investigated in a laboratory scale cylinder dryer. The effects of cylinder wall temperature and hot air temperature on the thermal processing intensity were investigated. Three main physical properties (crimpness, filling power and processing endurance) of dried cut tobacco were experimentally evaluated by using imaging analysis and sieving method. The results showed that:1) The Ts-X curve of tobacco drying process reflected the variation characteristics of thermal processing state of cut tobacco during drying. The integral average value of the curve could be used to characterize the thermal processing intensity of the cylinder drying process. 2) Under the experimental conditions, the value of thermal processing intensity ranged from 4.26 to 5.10℃/%. The rise of cylinder wall temperature or hot air temperature could result in an incremental thermal processing intensity. However, when cylinder wall temperature and hot air temperature increased at the same rate, the contribution rate of cylinder wall temperature to thermal processing intensity was about 30%-70% higher than that of hot air temperature. 3) Under different drying conditions, the crimpness and filling value of cut tobacco increased, while its processing endurance decreased with the increase of thermal processing intensity.