CE 241 – MATERIALS SCIENCE

Mechanical Properties of Materials

Stress-Strain Testing of Materials

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CE241: Materials Science
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
• “Mechanical Properties” are the properties that determine the
response of engineering materials to applied forces.
SIMPLE STATES OF STRESS

Uniaxial Uniaxial Torsion Biaxial

Tension Compression (Pure Shear) Tension

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CE241: Materials Science
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
• “Mechanical Properties” are the properties that determine the
response of engineering materials to applied forces.
• The mechanical properties of structural materials are often
determined through uniaxial loading of the material either in
compression or in tension.
• Testing is performed in specially designed loading frames by
measuring the applied load and the deformation experienced.

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CE241: Materials Science
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINES (Classical)

Space for Testing

Specimens in Tension

Space for Testing

Specimens in Compression

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CE241: Materials Science
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINES (Classical)

Space for Testing

Specimens in Tension

Space for Testing

Specimens in Compression

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CE241: Materials Science
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINES (Modern)
Adjustable cross-head for
adjusting the specimen height Controller unit of the system.
Piston can be operated in either
load controlled or
displacement controlled
modes.

Hydraulic piston that

can go up and down

Hydraulic pump that

controls the movement
ofEngineering
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CE241: Materials Science
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINES (Modern)

Tension heads

A special fixture is used

Steel rebar is for testing dog-bone
directly attached to shaped rubber specimen
the tension heads

Hydraulic pump that controls

Tension heads the pressure on the grips of
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the tension heads 7
CE241: Materials Science
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
The load is recorded
UNIVERSAL TESTING
by a load-cell
MACHINES (Modern) Bending fixtures

Displacements can be
measured by a non-contact
Displacements can be
video-extensometer Concrete specimen
measured by LVDTs attached to
subjected to bending
a contact extensometer

Concrete specimen
subjected to
compression

LVDT:
Linear Bending fixtures
Variable
Differential
Transformer The piston moves
up to compress the
concrete specimen 8
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CE241: Materials Science
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
STRESS-STRAIN TESTING IN
UNIAXIAL
Applied TENSION
load is recorded
by the load-cell

Steel rebar

Displacement
measurements are
recorded by the
non-contact video
extensometer
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CE241: Materials Science
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
STRESS-STRAIN TESTING IN
UNIAXIAL
Applied TENSION
load is recorded
by the load-cell

Steel rebar
Time (sec)

Displacement
measurements are
recorded by the
non-contact video
extensometer
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CE241: Materials Science
Time (sec)
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
Displacement is controlled
STRESS-STRAIN TESTING IN (Movement speed of piston)

Displacement (mm)
UNIAXIAL
Applied TENSION
load is recorded
by the load-cell

DISPLACEMENT CONTROLLED
(STRAIN CONTROLLED)
Steel rebar TESTING
Time (sec)
• Displacement is applied (CONTROL)
• Force is measured Corresponding loads are
determined
Displacement

Force (kN)
measurements are
recorded by the
non-contact video
extensometer
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CE241: Materials Science
Time (sec)
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
Force is controlled
STRESS-STRAIN TESTING IN
UNIAXIAL
Applied TENSION
load is recorded

Force (kN)
by the load-cell

LOAD CONTROLLED
TESTING
Steel rebar
Time (sec)
• Force is applied (CONTROL)
• Displacement is measured Corresponding displacements

Displacement (mm)
are determined
Displacement
measurements are
recorded by the
non-contact video
extensometer
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CE241: Materials Science
Time (sec)
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS F
• Once the loads / deformations are determined
stress / strain calculations can be made. Area, A0

• The stresses are calculated from the load values.

F
s
• The strains are calculated from the deformation values.

∆ 𝐿𝑓 − 𝐿0 L0 L f
𝜀𝑙 = =
𝐿0 𝐿0

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CE241: Materials Science s
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS

Stress (MPa)
Load (kN)

Note that the descending portion of a s-e diagram can only be obtained
during a strain-controlled testing scheme.
Displacement (mm) Strain (-)

∆
𝜀𝑙 =
𝐿0

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