Nwaezeigwe Franklin

Lab 5
Modulus of Rapture of Ceramics and Bending of
Sandwich Structures


Table of Contents
Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3
Experimental Set-up ............................................................................................................... 3
Equipment List ....................................................................................................................... 5
Data ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 9
Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 13
References ............................................................................................................................ 16

Abstract
The purpose of the lab was to measure the modulus of rapture in various samples using
the 3 point method as well as investigate the difference in mechanical properties
between ceramics, solid and composite materials, these properties are important in
various industries like the aerospace and mechanical industries where various form of
materials are used in applications in which they need various loads. The lab enables the
calculation of the load that would cause a material to bend or fracture. Most of the
results obtained when compared to actual data and previous labs were pretty accurate.

Introduction
Modulus of Rapture is a measure of a specimen’s strength before rapture. It is different
from modulus of elasticity which measures just the deflection of the material.
The purpose of the lab was to use the 3 point test to compare the mechanical properties
of ceramic(alumina) with a metal (aluminum) and a composite(mixture of both), this
helps to understand the deformation of materials related to their structure.
The Modulus of Rapture was calculated along with the Young’s Modulus, flexural strain
and fracture stress.
In industries MOR is used when determining which material should be employed in
making the required equipment. Materials that have higher chances of fracturing early
will not be used in making equipment’s that endure heavy loads on a daily bases.

Experimental Set-up
The dimensions of the specimen that was measured was input into the Instrom
software. The bending was started by rotating a dial to create a positive force on the
material, just enough for it to register on the Instrom machine. Fig 1 shows the machine
and the specimen under applied force. While 4-7 show the specimen after it has been
fractured.
Fig 1: Instrom Machine (Force 4507)

Fig 2: Instrom Machine (Force 4465) Fig 3: Instrom Software

Equipment List
● Alumina (Al2O3) Panel

● Solid Aluminum Sample

● Aluminum Honeycomb Panel

● Vernier Calipers

● Micrometer

● Ruler

● Instron Testing Apparatus(Force 4465&4507)

Figure 3: Alumina Sample

Figure 4 &5: Longitudinal Honeycomb Composite after Test
 Figure 6 and 7: Transverse Honeycomb Composite after Test

Procedure

Each specimens dimensions were measured using rulers and Vernier calipers. The mass
of the specimens were also recorded. The specimen were then place one after the other
in the testing apparatus and were placed in such a way that the center of the sample
lined up with the point of load application.

The Instrom software was used to recorded all the data and saved on a spreadsheet file.

Data
 Material Length (in) Width (in) Thickness (in) Mass Before Mass After
(oz.) (oz.)

Solid 9 2 0.258
Aluminum

½ T* 2.355 2.355
9.0 1.96875 0.50
Honeycomb

¼T 2.16 2.16
9.0 2.0 0.25
Honeycomb

¼ L* 0.240 0.240
9.0 0.216 0.264
Honeycomb

½L 2.430 2.430
8.96 2.0 0.50
Honeycomb

Alumina: 1 2.373 0.260 0.260 0.235 0.235

Alumina: 2 2.374 0.261 0.264 0.235 0.235

Alumina: 3 2.506 0.269 0.260 0.255 0.255

Alumina: 4 2.40 0.261 0.264 0.240 0.240

Alumina: 6 2.44 0.263 0.263 0.263 0.263



Data Analysis
Solid Aluminum Flexure Load Vs. Flexure
Extension
800
700
Flexure Load (lbf)

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Flexure Extension (in)

1/4 T Flexure Load Vs. Extension

180
160
140
Flexure Load (lbf)

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Flexure Extension (in)
 1/2 T Flexure Load Vs. Extension
300

250
Flexure Load (lbf)

200

150

100

50

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3
Flexure Extension (in)

1/2 L Flexure Load Vs. Extension

400
350
300
Flexure Load (lbf)

250
200
150
100
50
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45
Flexure Extension (in)
 1/4 L Flexure Load Vs. Extension
250

200
Flexure Load (lbf)

150

100

50

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Flexure Extension (in)

The modulus of rupture, is a material property defined as the stress in a material right before it

begins to deform elastically during a flexure test. In a three point bending test it is calculated by

using the following equation:

3𝐹𝐿
𝑀𝑂𝑅 =
2𝑏𝑑 +

Where MOR is the modulus of rupture, F is the force at the fracture point, Lis the length

of the support span, b is the width and d is the thickness

Flexural strain is calculated by using the following equation:

6𝑤𝑣
ℰ- =
𝐿+

• Where w is the width, v is the deflection, and L is the length

 The elastic modulus is defined as a substances resistance to elastic deformation when a force is

applied to it. It can be calculated by using the following equation:

𝐹
𝐸= 𝐴
∆𝐿
𝐿5

Where F is force, A is the cross-sectional area, ∆L is the change in length and L0 is the original

length

The fracture stress is the breaking stress or ultimate tensile stress. It is the maximum stress a

material can stand before it breaks under tension. It can be calculated by using the following

formula:

3𝐿𝐹
𝜎=
2𝑡𝑤 +

Table of Calculated Values

I
Elasti Flexu Fract
Support Widt Thick Max (mom v-
c ral ure
Material Span h- b ness- Load MOR Area ent of deflec
Mod Strai Stres
(in) (in) d (in) (lbf) inerti tion
ulus n s
a)

Solid 764.2 68885 0.761 15559 3.045 0.571 8886.

8 2 0.258 0.516 0.172
Aluminum 17 .6 48 .60 92 11 243

½ T* 1.968 285.4 6959. 0.984 0.274 8441. 0.317 1.134 0.209 1767.
8 0.5
Honeycomb 8 49 518 375 81 61 951 413 379 497
 ¼T 152.6 14656 0.456 5351. 0.166 1.825 0.342 1832.
8 2 0.25 0.5
Honeycomb 68 .15 48 15 667 92 36 018

¼ L* 15942 0.331 2793. 0.000 3444. 69.75 19484

8 0.216 0.264 200 1.728
Honeycomb 2.5 48 31 222 735 589 9.7

½L 373.1 8956. 0.399 466.7 0.333 25.58 4.797 2239.

8 2 0.5 16
Honeycomb 86 462 81 0 333 784 72 115

76.97 13137 0.067 0.005 43792 0.000 0.076 13137

Alumina: 1 2 0.26 0.26 0.03
036 .86 6 2 8.77 381 923 .86

71.75 11833 0.068 0.004 44312 0.000 0.068 0.027 11969

Alumina: 2 2 0.261 0.264
344 .57 904 7 9.26 391 995 011 .58

79.10 13050 0.069 0.005 42680 0.000 0.073 0.029 12613

Alumina: 3 2 0.269 0.26
499 .47 94 3 7.83 422 244 554 .84

78.07 12876 0.068 0.005 43580 0.000 0.076 0.029 13024

Alumina: 4 2 0.261 0.264
478 .08 904 2 5.78 391 335 885 .08

77.57 12793 0.069 0.005 43136 0.000 0.075 0.029 12793

Alumina: 5 2 0.263 0.263
629 .31 169 2 4.26 399 178 658 .31

86.15 14208 0.069 0.005 46133 0.000 0.078 0.030 14208

Alumina: 6 2 0.263 0.263
659 .31 169 4 1.64 399 07 798 .31

Discussion
The following equation was used to calculate the percent error in the experiment:
;<=>?=@ABCD ECDF=GHIJ=?AK=L@CD ECDF=
% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = ×100%
;<=>?=@ABCD ECDF=
 Support Width- b Thicknes Max Load MOR Actual Percent Actual Percent
Material E
Span (ft) (ft) s-d (in) (lbf) (lb/in^2) MOR Error E Error

Solid
8 2 0.258 764.217
Aluminum
15559. 100000 99.999
68885.6 44961.7 -0.5321 60 00000 84

½ T*
Honeycom 8 1.96875 0.5 285.449
b 8441.6 100000 99.999
6959.518 44961.7 0.845212 1 00000 92

¼T
Honeycom 8 2 0.25 152.668
b 5351.1 100000 99.999
14656.15 44961.7 0.67403 5 00000 95

¼ L*
Honeycom 8 0.216 0.264 200
b 2793.3 100000 99.999
159422.5 44961.7 -2.54574 1 00000 97

½L
Honeycom 8 2 0.5 373.186
b 100000
8956.462 44961.7 0.800798 466.70 00000 100

Alumina: 1 2 0.26 0.26

437928 537000 #VAL
76.97036 13137.86 22045.7 0.404062 .8 00 UE!

Alumina:
2 0.261 0.264
2 22045. 0.4632 44312 53700 #VAL
71.75344 11833.57 7 26 9.3 000 UE!

Alumina:
2 0.269 0.26
3 22045. 0.4080 42680 53700 #VAL
79.10499 13050.47 7 27 7.8 000 UE!
Alumina:
2 0.261 0.264
4 22045. 0.4159 43580 53700 #VAL
78.07478 12876.08 7 37 5.8 000 UE!

Alumina:
2 0.263 0.263
5 22045. 0.4196 43136 53700 #VAL
77.57629 12793.31 7 91 4.3 000 UE!

Alumina:
2 0.263 0.263
6 22045. 0.3555 46133 53700 #VAL
86.15659 14208.31 7 06 1.6 000 UE!

When comparing the calculated MOR values with the actual MOR values it is noticed
that error isn’t that significant, but when the elastic modulus was compared with actual
values there is a significant error. This could have occurred due to calculation errors or
an error with the data collected.
The materials used were unique and different in several ways, one was pure aluminum
and some of the other specimen were honeycomb composite materials and some were
Al2O3 compounds. Therefore, each material will act differently due to the various
thickness or longitudinal/transverse properties they possess. A suitable example will be
comparing the fracture stress of the solid aluminum with that of is ceramic and
composite counterpart, where it is about 9000 for aluminum and less than 2000 for the
ceramic and aluminum composite materials. Ceramic have less strength than aluminum
because it has impurities in in, which in most cases reduces the strength.
Looking at the data gotten it can be noticed that an increase in thickness of the
honeycomb structure, the aluminum structure will become more stronger and reduce
plastic buckling.
The result gotten are not statistically variable because most of the specimen used in the
experiment are the same.
A key factor that affect the output values during the test is if the material is isentropic or
anisotropic. This is because isentropic materials closely obey Hooke’s law and its
properties are the same in all directions, but in anisotropic materials the properties are
different when measured in different directions, meaning that they do not obey Hooke’s
law due to lack of plane symmetry, meaning that to observe how the material reacts each
plane of symmetry has to be observed separately

Conclusion
In the aerospace industry aluminum is used in the construction if many aerospace
applications. Panels composed primarily of aluminum are used in the construction og
majority of fuselages, in other industry it is an important material for designing high
speed ships and trains.
The information in the lab is useful because it acts as an aid to an engineer who is trying
to design an instrument or equipment for a particular purpose. Depending ion the need
of the equipment the engineer will chose the suitable material that can withstand a
certain amount of load without fracturing. So if he is designing a plane he will chose a
material that will be able withstand the force from air pressure or the weight of the
cargo without fracturing, this lab will make choosing of that material much easier.

References
Paik, Jeom Kee, Anil K. Thayamballi, and Gyu Sung Kim. "The Strength Characteristics

of Aluminum Honeycomb Sandwich Panels." Thin-Walled Structures 35.3 (1999): 205-

31. Web.

Engineering Materials 1 4th edition by Ashby and Jones