LAB 5: TENSILE TESTING OF METALS

Objectives:
1. To conduct tensile testing for ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
2. To determine the stress-strain relationship of common structural metals when
subjected to tensile stress.
3. To obtain mechanical properties of metals

Introduction
The monotonic static tension test is the most common testing methodology for
determining mechanical properties of metals. Tensile test is among the simplest of all the
mechanical tests. Useful properties directly observed and those that can be estimated from
tensile tests include: modulus of elasticity, yield strength, tensile strength, ductility in %
elongation or % reduction in area, modulus of resilience, and strain hardening exponent (Figure
1).

Tensile Strength = (Maximum Load)/ (Original Cross Sectional Area) Eq. 1

Yield Strength (y) = Stress at which a material exhibits a specified deviation from
proportionality of stress and strain. Eq. 2
An offset of 0.2% is often used.

Modulus of Elasticity (E) = slope (ratio of stress to strain) of linear stress-strain curve in the
elastic region. Eq. 3

Percent Elongation = [(Change in gage Length)/(Original Gage Length)]100

Eq. 4

Percent Reduction in Area = [(Change in Cross Sectional Area)/(Original Area)]100

Eq. 5
Modulus of Resilience = Energy absorbed and released during elastic deformation
= Area under the stress-strain curve up to yield strength

Eq. 6
The stress and strain used in Eq. 1 to 6 are termed engineering stress and engineering strains
when original gage length and original cross sectional area are used. In reality, the cross
sectional area changes due to Poisson’s effect continuously resulting in a somewhat different
stress and strain during the test. For more realistic account of the real stress and strain, true
stress and true strain may be calculated using Eq. 7 and 8.

1
 Eq. 9 and Eq. 10

Using Eq. 9 and 10, an engineering stress-strain curve may be converted to true stress-true
strain curve. The segment of true stress-strain curve between true yield strength and true tensile
strength can be described by a polynomial expression in the form:

Eq. 11

where the exponent n is work hardening exponent that describes the ease with which a metal
can be work hardened (or strain hardened). The value of the work hardening exponent can be
determined by soling two simultaneous equations from two arbitrary points on the true stress-
strain curve between yield point and ultimate tensile point as:

Eq. 12

Figure 1: Stress-strain curve

There are different types of specimen depending on the type of the grips and on the
form of the available material (sheet, rod, etc.). Generally, all specimens have two main parts,
the gauge section and the ends (Figure 2). The dimensions of the specimens are standardized
(TS, DIN, ASTM etc.) Tension testing of metallic materials is covered under the Standard Test
Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic Materials: ASTM E8 – 96a, and AASHTO No. T 68.
Several other ASTM standards referenced by E8-96a are: A356/A356M; A370; A557; E4; E6;
E8M; E29; E83; E345; E691; and E1012. A good surface finish is required so that surface
flaws do not provide stress concentrations to cause premature failure.

2
 Figure 2: Tensile specimen

Materials and equipment

Method
1. Measure the dimensions of each specimens.
Thickness, t = _____
Total length of a specimen = _______
Cross sectional area, Ao = ________

Mark gauge length (Lo) at three different portions on the specimen (Figure 2),
covering effective length of a specimen (this is required so that necked portion will
remain between any two points of gauge length on the specimen.)
2. Switch on the machine.
3. Mount the test specimen in the grips of the machine.
4. Apply and record load and the corresponding load.
5. Repeat steps (1) to (4) for the other test specimens
6. Determine the following material properties:
 modulus of elasticity
 0.2% offset yield strength
 ultimate tensile strength
 fracture strength
 ductility in percent elongation and percent area reduction, and
 modulus of resilience.
7. Identify the fracture mode, i.e. ductile or brittle for each specimens and explain the
reasons.
8. Plot a true stress-strain tensile behavior curve up to engineering ultimate tensile strength
of the material and determine the expression (t = K tn ) that describes the strain
hardening behavior.

Question
1. Explain the different deformation mechanisms which are active in the different
regions of the tensile stress-strain curve.
2. Describe the difference of stress-strain curve between ferrous and non-ferrous metal.