Tensile Test - Intro & Theory
Tensile Test - Intro & Theory
OBJECTIVE
To analyze and evaluate the tensile properties of materials such as values of Tensile
strength, Yield strength, Percentage elongation, fracture strain and Young's Modulus of
the selected metal (steel and aluminum ) when subjected to uniaxial tensile loading.
To explain deformation and fracture characteristics of different materials such as
aluminum, steel or any other metal.
INTRODUCTION
Tensile testing is one of the most fundamental tests for engineering, and provides
valuable information about a material such as how they will behave under load and its associated
properties. These properties can be used for design and analysis of engineering structures, and
for developing new materials that better suit a specified use. Most of the time this test is used to
evaluate material parameters such as ultimate strength, yield strength, percentage elongation,
percentage area of reduction and Young's modulus.
In this lab experiment the tensile testing is carried out by applying longitudinal or axial
load at a specific extension rate to a standard tensile specimen with known dimensions (gauge
length and cross sectional area perpendicular to the load direction) till failure. The applied tensile
load and extension are recorded during the test for the calculation of stress and strain.
The equipment used for tensile testing ranges from simple devices to complicated
controlled systems. In this lab experiment a device called a Tensometer is used to measure,
calculate and draw the Stress- Strain graph. In order to use this device, material to be tested
must be cut to a specific shape so as to fit the grips, most usually in the form of a dog-bone shape
when flat sheet is being tested.
THEORY
Young’s modulus E = �/ �
Young’s Modulus (E) or the modulus of elasticity is a measure of a materials stiffness.
The higher the Young’s modulus value the stiffer the material.
Young’s modulus can be calculated from tensile test stress (�)/strain (�) graphs–derived
from load/extension graphs. The slope of the graph is used to calculate E when the
material is obeying Hooke’s law.
Material
Specimen – Steel
Equipment
Tensometer
Percentage Elongation gauge
Percentage Area gauge
Micrometer
A partial segment of the
Tensometer
A sample of medium carbon steel was tested by using a manual Tensile-Testing Machine.
Horizontally fixed sample is subjected to a uniaxial tensile force with a testing speed of about
20mm/min. The force acting on the sample and the extension will be measured and recorded in
the machine. Basically meaning, placing the test specimen in the testing machine and slowly
extending it until it fractures and during this process, the elongation of the gauge section is
recorded against the applied force.
First choosing and measured the gauge length, width and the cross sectional area of it by
using the micrometer, elongation gauge and area gauge. Then before loading the
specimen to the Tensometer (tensile test machine) the computer system connected to the
machine was setup by inputting the necessary information of gauge length and width of
the specimen. The computer system was then prepared to record data and output
necessary graphs. Specimen was loaded into the Tensometer and the paddle was rotated
in a constant speed until the specimen was fractured. The final graph was finally given as
an output from the computer.
OBSERVATIONS
o Observations
We observed that when the metal was subjected to an external tensile loading, the
necking point was unseen until it was about to break. There for the elastic deformation
was invisible to the eye while doing the experiment. But after the Necking occurred, we
were able to witness the deformation the metal took.
REFERENCE