ME 2140 Mechanics of Materials Lab

Lab 1B: Uniaxial Compression Test

Jacob Stieb

Hang Yao

Southern Methodist University

Engineering Department

Spring 2010
Nomenclature:
P Original load (N)
d Original diameter (mm)
H0 Original height (mm)
E Modulus of elasticity (GPa)
A0 Area (mm2)
σE Engineering stress (GPa)
εE Engineering strain (mm/mm)
ΔH Extension (mm)
σT True stress (GPa)
εu Ultimate strain (mm/mm)
εT True strain (mm/mm)
εy Yield strain (mm/mm)
μ Ductility ratio
ν Poisson’s ratio
K Bulk modulus

Abstract:
In this lab data was gathered during a tension test of three separate materials (brass,
aluminum, and steel). The recorded data was used to plot stress-strain diagrams and load-
extension diagrams for each material and used to calculate different parameters of each material.
Based on this experiment, aluminum is the most ductile because it was compressed the most.
Steel has the highest modulus of elasticity and can withstand the greatest load and brass is
somewhere in the middle. Based on the results of this experiment, the experiment successfully
followed the theoretical values.

Procedure:
In this lab the Model 5582 Instron Universal Materials Testing System was used along
with three different cylindrical compression test coupons. After measuring the height and
diameter of each test coupon with set of calipers, each test coupon was loaded into the machine
separately to run the compression test on them. First, the top plate was raised so you could slid
the test coupon between the plates. Then the top plate was lowered so that it was barely touching
the top of the test coupon. After that, the compression test was applied to each test coupon. The
Instron machine then measured the compression of the coupon and the force that was applied
over time. After the test was done, the load was plotted against the extension for each material.
Then, the stress for each material was calculated (1) using the original area (2). Then the strain
was calculated based on the compression compared to the original length (3). After that, the
stress was plotted against the strain (for each material). By doing this, the elastic modulus was
determined due to the fact that it is the slope of the plastic region of this graph. Then the yield
strength and the ultimate strength of each material were determined. The yield strength was
determined using the 2% offset method. This method is to graph the elastic modulus (slope of
the stress-strain graph) at a shift of .002 in the positive x-axis. Then you calculate where the
original graph intersects your 2% offset line. Wherever they intersect is your yield strength.
Then, the ultimate strength was found by determining the greatest stress that was applied to the
material. The value of the greatest stress applied is equivalent to the ultimate strength. After
that, the yield strain, yield load, ultimate strain and ultimate load were all found. They are the
load and strain that occurs at the yield strength and ultimate strength, respectively. Then, the true
strain (5) and the true stress (6) were calculated. After that, the true strain was plotted against the
true strain for each material. Finally, the ductility ratio (7) and the bulk modulus (8) were all
determined for each material using the formulas:
σ=P/A0 (1)

A0=πd2/4 (2)

εE = ΔH/H0 (3)

E=σE/ε E (4)

εT = ln(1+ εE) (5)

σT=σ(1+ε) (6)

μ=εu/εy (7)

K=E/(3(1-2ν)) (8)
Results:
After doing the strain, stress, true stress, and true strain calculations, the data could be put
into a format to compare and contrast the three materials. Therefore, certain graphs were created
to help with the analyzation of the data as well as to determine the elastic modulus and some of
the other properties of the materials. For each material, a stress versus strain graph, a load versus
extension and a true stress versus true strain graph were created. On top of that, each material
has its own specific table that gives most of the materials properties that were calculated or
measured in this experiment.

Original Measurements
Height Diameter
Material
(mm) (mm)
H0 d
Aluminum 12.60 12.81
Brass 12.71 12.66
Steel 12.63 12.62
Table 1: The original measurements taken before compression test

Stress and Strain of Each Material

Elastic Yield Ultimate Yield Ultimate
Yield Ultimate
Material Modulus Strength Strength Strain Strain
Load (kN) Load (N)
(GPa) (MPa) (MPa) (mm/mm) (mm/mm)
E Py Pu σy σu εy εu
Aluminum 10.08220 33.47806 98.00141 265.95181 778.52946 0.02843 0.46317
Brass 10.42967 40.43030 98.00059 321.18088 778.52293 0.03280 0.26340
Steel 12.24843 59.82064 98.00141 478.23622 783.47244 0.04105 0.09609
Table 2 – Stress, strain and load information about each material
 Other Properties of Each Material
Ductility
Bulk Modulus Poisson’s
Material Ratio
(GPa) Ratio
(mm/mm)
μ K ν
Aluminum 26.32594 91.50873 0.35
Brass 45.61641 99.84921 0.33
Steel 72.44828 99.97448 0.29
Table 3 – Some of the properties calculated in this experiment

Load V Extension (Aluminum)

120000

100000
Compressive load (N)

80000

60000

40000

20000

0
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extension (mm)

Figure 1 – Load versus extension diagram of aluminum

Stress Vs Strain (Aluminum)

900
800
700
Stress (MPa)

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 2 – Stress versus strain diagram of aluminum

 True Stress V True Strain (Aluminum)
1200
True Stress (MPa) 1000

800

600

400

200

0
-0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
True Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 3 – True stress versus true strain diagram of aluminum

Load V Extension (Brass)

120000

100000
Compressive Load (N)

80000

60000

40000

20000

0
-0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Extension (mm)

Figure 4 – Load versus extension diagram of brass

 Stress V Strain (Brass)
900
800
Stress (MPa) 700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3
Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 5 – Stress versus strain diagram of brass

True Stress V True Strain (Brass)

1200

1000
True Stress (MPa)

800

600

400

200

0
-0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
True Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 6 – True stress versus true strain diagram of brass

 Load V Extension (Steel)
120000

100000
Compressive Load (N)
80000

60000

40000

20000

0
-0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
Extension (mm)

Figure 7 – Load versus extension diagram of steel

Stress V Strain (Steel)

900
800
700
Stress (MPa)

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-0.02 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 8 – Stress versus strain diagram of aluminum

 True Stress V True Strain (Steel)
1000
900
800
True Stress (MPa)
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-0.02 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1
True Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 9 – True stress versus true strain diagram of aluminum

Discussion of Results:
Based on our results, aluminum is the weakest material and steel is the strongest. Steel
had the highest ultimate and yield strength. Based on these two qualities, steel is the strongest
material. Since aluminum had the lowest of all of these, it is viewed as the weakest of the three.
However, aluminum is the most ductile. It compressed the most and didn’t even fracture. If you
look at the ultimate strain, aluminum elongated the most due to the fact that strain is equivalent
to change in length over initial length. This also shows that steel did not compress much at all.
On top of that, steel also has the largest modulus of elasticity meaning it can withstand the
largest amount of force before reaching the plastic range of deformation. Aluminum has the
smallest modulus of elasticity meaning that it reaches the plastic range of deformation much
easier than the other two materials when pressure is applied to it.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, by using the original data, stress-strain diagrams and load-extension
diagrams can be created for each material. On top of that, by using the original data, properties
such as the ductility ratio and the modulus of elasticity can be calculated. By determining these
properties each material can be studied and possible uses for each material based upon the
properties of the given materials can be determined. Based on our data, if you are looking for a
strong material that will not buckle easily then steel is the best choice. Aluminum is the lightest
but also the weakest. Therefore, you would not want to pick aluminum for the jobs that require a
large load.