Laboratory 1 – Tension Test

Many materials are subjected to forces or loads when in service; examples

include the aluminum alloy from which an airplane wing is constructed and the
steel in an automobile axle. In such situations it is necessary to know the
characteristics of the material and to design the member from which it is made
such that any resulting deformation will not be excessive, and fracture will not
occur. The mechanical behavior of a material reflects its response or deformation
in relation to an applied load or force. Key mechanical design properties are
stiffness, strength, hardness, ductility, and toughness.
There are three principal ways in which a load may be applied: namely,
tension, compression, and shear.
One of the most common mechanical stress–strain tests is performed in
tension. As will be seen, the tension test can be used to ascertain several
mechanical properties of materials that are important in design. A specimen is
deformed, usually to fracture, with a gradually increasing tensile load that is
applied uniaxially along the long axis of a specimen. A standard tensile specimen
is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. A standard tensile specimen with circular cross section.

1. Objectives
The objectives of this lab are:
• to perform a tension test on a metal specimen to gain an appreciation of
tensile testing equipment and procedures
• to examine the resulting stress-strain curve to gain an appreciation of the
mechanical properties of the metal

2. Apparatus and Materials

• A Tinius Olsen H25KS 25kNm capacity electro-mechanically operated
universal tension/compression load frame will be used to test the tensile
specimens. The applied load on the specimen is determined indirectly from
a. tensile load cell.
 • A caliper will be used to measure the diameter of the test specimen.
• Cold drawn plain carbon steel sample.
• Aluminum sample.

3. Experimental Procedure
Engineering stress s is defined by the relationship

(1)
in which F is the instantaneous load applied perpendicular to the specimen cross
section, in units of newtons (N) or pounds force (lbf), and A0 is the original cross-
sectional area before any load is applied (m2 or in.2).
Engineering strain ϵ is equals to
li −l 0 ∆l
ϵ=
l0
=
l0
(2)

In which l0 is the original length before any load is applied and li is the
instantaneous length. Sometimes the quantity li - l0 is denoted as ∆ l and is the
deformation elongation or change in length at some instant, as referenced to the
original length.
• For each test specimen, measure the mean length and the mean diameter,
taking the average of three measurements.
Measurement Measurement Measurement Mean value
1 2 3
Length. mm
Diameter, mm

• Load the test specimen into the load frame.

• After receiving verbal approval from the instructor, turn on the load frame.
• Carefully observe each specimen as it is being deformed.
• After the specimen has failed, carefully observe the general features of the
fracture surface of the specimen.
• Measure the mean diameter at the point of fracture.
Measurement Measurement Measurement Mean value
1 2 3
Diameter, mm

4. Analysis of the Results

• With the displacement/load test data, use Excel to calculate stress/strain
values (1).
• Use Excel to create the appropriate stress-strain curves (2).
• Determine the tensile or ultimate strength (3) for the material.
o On your stress-strain curves: label and show how you determined its
value.
• Calculate the maximum load (4) for each material.
• Calculate the modulus of elasticity (5) for each specimen.
• Determine the yield strength (6) of the material.
• Calculate the percent reduction of area, %RA (7).
• Sketch the true stress (8) on your stress-strain diagram.
• Calculate the modulus of toughness (9).
o Show your calculations on the stress-strain diagram.
• Calculate the modulus of resilience (10).
o Show your calculations on the stress-strain diagram. Be sure to
include equations, values used, and units in your calculation
work. Mark your values on the load-displacement/stress-strain
diagram.

5. Discussion
Discuss the significance of each of the material properties that you analyzed in
the previous section. How are they used/why are they important in engineering
design?
Describe changes in tensile specimen profile (zones) to the point of fracture.
For which materials, the strain offset method is not necessary to employ?

6. Lab report grading scheme

Introduction about the tension test — 0.5-page max 5%
Description of the used equipment — 0.5-page max 5%
Results (measurements of the length, diameters, load-displacement values) 5%
Results analysis (4 points per each property calculated) 35%
Discussion (4 points per each property discussed) 40%
Conclusion about the tension test — 0.5-page max 5%
Formatting, appropriate language, overall neatness 5%
Plagiarism -100%