Mechanical Properties of

Materials
Tension and Compression Test
 Measurements are taken of
both the specimen’s initial
cross-sectional area, A0, and
the gauge-length distance L0
between the punch marks.

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Stress-Strain Diagram
 Elastic Behavior
 Proportional Limit-
beyond which stress and
strain are no longer
proportional
 Elastic Limit – if load is
removed specimen will
return to its original shape
Yielding – considerable
elongation occur with no
noticeable increase of
tensile force

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Stress-Strain Diagram
 Plastic Behavior
 Strain hardening – when
yielding has ended, an
increase in load can be
supported by the specimen
until it reaches the ultimate
stress
 Necking - Up to the ultimate
stress, as the specimen
elongates, its cross-sectional
area will decrease. The
stress–strain diagram tends
to curve downward until the
specimen breaks at the
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Poisson’s Ratio
• For a slender bar subjected to axial loading:
x
x = y =z = 0
E

• The elongation in the x-direction is

accompanied by a contraction in the other
directions. Assuming that the material is
isotropic (no directional dependence),
y = z  0

• Poisson’s ratio is defined as

lateral strain y 
= =− =− z
axial strain x x

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Generalized Hooke’s Law
• For an element subjected to multi-axial loading,
the normal strain components resulting from the
stress components may be determined from the
principle of superposition. This requires:
1) strain is linearly related to stress
2) deformations are small

• With these restrictions:

 x  y  z
x = + − −
E E E
 x  y  z
y = − + −
E E E
 x  y z
z = − − +
E E E

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Dilatation: Bulk Modulus
• Relative to the unstressed state, the change in volume is
 ( )  
e = 1 − (1 +  x ) 1 +  y (1 +  z ) = 1 − 1 +  x +  y +  z 
= x + y +z
1 − 2
=
E
(
 x + y + z )
= dilatation (change in volume per unit volum e)

• For element subjected to uniform hydrostatic pressure,

3(1 − 2 ) p
e = −p =−
E k
E
k= = bulk modulus
3(1 − 2 )

• Subjected to uniform pressure, dilatation must be

negative, therefore
0    12

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Shearing Strain

• A cubic element subjected to a shear stress will

deform into a rhomboid. The corresponding shear
strain is quantified in terms of the change in angle
between the sides,
 xy = f ( xy )

• A plot of shear stress vs. shear strain is similar the

previous plots of normal stress vs. normal strain
except that the strength values are approximately
half. For small strains,
 xy = G  xy  yz = G  yz  zx = G  zx

where G is the modulus of rigidity or shear modulus.

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Example 2.10
SOLUTION:
• Determine the average angular
deformation or shearing strain of
the block.
• Apply Hooke’s law for shearing stress
and strain to find the corresponding
shearing stress.
A rectangular block of material with
modulus of rigidity G = 90 ksi is • Use the definition of shearing stress to
bonded to two rigid horizontal plates. find the force P.
The lower plate is fixed, while the
upper plate is subjected to a horizontal
force P. Knowing that the upper plate
moves through 0.04 in. under the action
of the force, determine a) the average
shearing strain in the material, and b)
the force P exerted on the plate.
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• Determine the average angular deformation
or shearing strain of the block.
0.04 in.
 xy  tan  xy =  xy = 0.020 rad
2 in.

• Apply Hooke’s law for shearing stress and

strain to find the corresponding shearing
stress.
( )
 xy = G xy = 90 103 psi (0.020 rad ) = 1800 psi

• Use the definition of shearing stress to find

the force P.
P =  xy A = (1800 psi )(8 in.)(2.5 in.) = 36 103 lb

P = 36.0 kips

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Relation Among E, , and G
• An axially loaded slender bar will
elongate in the axial direction and
contract in the transverse directions.
• An initially cubic element oriented as in
top figure will deform into a rectangular
parallelepiped. The axial load produces a
normal strain.
• If the cubic element is oriented as in the
bottom figure, it will deform into a
rhombus. Axial load also results in a shear
strain.
• Components of normal and shear strain are
related,
E
= (1 +  )
2G
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Sample Problem 2.5

A circle of diameter d = 9 in. is scribed on an

unstressed aluminum plate of thickness t = 3/4
in. Forces acting in the plane of the plate later
cause normal stresses x = 12 ksi and z = 20
ksi.
For E = 10x106 psi and  = 1/3, determine the
change in:
a) the length of diameter AB,
b) the length of diameter CD,
c) the thickness of the plate, and
d) the volume of the plate.

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SOLUTION:
• Apply the generalized Hooke’s Law to • Evaluate the deformation components.
find the three components of normal
strain.
(
 B A =  x d = + 0.533 10−3 in./in. (9 in.) )
 x  y  z B A = +4.8 10−3 in.
x = + − −
E E E
C D ( )
=  z d = + 1.600 10−3 in./in. (9 in.)
1  1 
= (12 ksi ) − 0 − (20 ksi )
10 106 psi  3  C D = +14.4 10−3 in.

= +0.533 10−3 in./in. ( )

 t =  y t = − 1.067 10−3 in./in. (0.75 in.)
 x  y  z  t = −0.800 10−3 in.
y = − + −
E E E
= −1.067 10−3 in./in.
• Find the change in volume
 x  y 
z = − − + z e =  x +  y +  z = 1.067 10−3 in 3/in 3
E E E
= +1.600 10−3 in./in. V = eV = 1.067 10−3 (15 15  0.75)in 3
V = +0.187 in 3
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Composite Materials
• Fiber-reinforced composite materials are formed
from lamina of fibers of graphite, glass, or
polymers embedded in a resin matrix.

• Normal stresses and strains are related by Hooke’s

Law but with directionally dependent moduli of
elasticity,
 y z
Ex = x Ey = Ez =
x y z

• Transverse contractions are related by directionally

dependent values of Poisson’s ratio, e.g.,
y 
 xy =−  xz = − z
x x

• Materials with directionally dependent mechanical

properties are anisotropic.

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Saint-Venant’s Principle
• Loads transmitted through rigid
plates result in uniform distribution
of stress and strain.

• Concentrated loads result in large

stresses in the vicinity of the load
application point.

• Stress and strain distributions

become uniform at a relatively short
distance from the load application
points.

• Saint-Venant’s Principle:
Stress distribution may be assumed
independent of the mode of load
application except in the immediate
vicinity of load application points.
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