Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia

EMM3806 Mechanical Engineering Laboratory I

Semester 2 (2020/2021)

Lab Title : LAB 5: TORSION TEST

Group No. : E-1

Name Matrics No.

MUHAMMAD AFIQ BIN JAMAL MOHAMED 206003

MUHAMMAD AZWAR BIN MOHAMMAD SHAM 206567

KHAIRUL NASHRAN BIN ANUAR 205951

MUHAMMAD IZZAT NAJMI BIN WAHAK 206870

ADAM MUHAMMAD BIN WIZMANIDZAL 205481

Date of laboratory/experiment: 23.4.2021

Submission date of report: 30.4.2021
Lecturer Name: Dr. Mohd Zuhri bin Mohamed Yusoff
NO. CONTENTS PAGE

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. EXPERIMENTAL WORK/METHODOLOGY 2

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3

4. CONCLUSION 12

5. REFERENCES 12
INTRODUCTION
Torsion tests twist a material or specimens’ part to a certain degree and force, or until it
fails in torsion. Torsion testing is used to assess how a material or test specimens behaves when
twisted or subjected to torsional forces as a result of applied moments that generate shear stress
along the axis. A torsion test twists the test specimen by anchoring one end such that it cannot shift
or rotate and adding a moment to the other end so that the sample rotates around its axis. The
rotating moment can be extended to both ends of the object. Both ends of the sample can be rotated
in the same direction, but they must be rotated in opposite directions. The forces and dynamics
discovered in this experiment are similar to those found in a piece of string held in one hand and
twisted by the other.
Torsion is a form of solid loading that occurs when a torque source is present. Torque is a
moment that causes a member to rotate along its longitudinal axis. As torque is applied to one of
the shaft's ends, the shaft becomes longitudinally skewed. The radial line at distance, x from the
shaft's fixed end will rotate around an angle 𝜃. Torsion tests are used to assess a material's torsional
properties, such as the modulus of rigidity G or the ratio of shear stress to displacement per unit
sample length, as well as the maximum shear stress at the elastic limit and failure. There are three
test specimens which are glass, brass, and aluminium. (Norwood 50 Nm) torsional testing machine
were used for testing the specimens test. Torsion test is usual method of obtaining a relationship
between shear stress and shear strain. After finish this test, the graph of shear stress against shear
strain wil be plotted and also for the torque versus angle of twist 𝜃.

Figure 1: Norwood 50Nm Torsion Testing Machine

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METHODOLGY

Material & Equipment

The torsion test differs from the tensile test in that it has a stress gradient around the specimen's
cross-section. As a result, at the elastic limit, yielding will begin in the outermost fibres while the
core remains elastic. In a tensile measure, yielding occurs uniformly around the entire bar. As the
specimen is twisted deeper into the plastic area, more of the cross-section yields, until there is a
plastic zone all the way through the bar. In this laboratory test, three material is used to calculate
the strength of the differences material which is brass, aluminum and mild steel. Besides that, the
testing machine that used in the laboratory is Norwood torsion. This machine has only one input
and one output. The twist applied to the specimen is the input. The applied torsional load is the
machine's output. The machine consists mainly of loading device with protractor scale for twisting
angle measurement, and torque-measurement unit with a digital torque meter. The torque value is
displayed directly in Nm on the digital display.

Experiment set up

Firstly, The torque meter was switched on to allow the reading to appear on the screen which
connected to the torsion testing machine. Three specimens were carried out, mild steel, brass, and
aluminum. Each specimen was placed at the hexagonal sockets and it was tightened with the
deflection arm. The handwheel was turned 10 degrees each time to take the reading for the angle
of twist from the 360 protractor scale and torque from the torque meter of each specimen.
Therefore, a few readings were taken and evenly distributed. The readings were taken continuously
until the specimen was fractured. By the time the specimen was fractured, this shows that the
maximum torque and the maximum angle of twist of the specimen. All the readings were recorded
in a table form and calculations were done using the equations shown at section Results and
Discussion.

2
RESULTS:

Table 1: Measurement of specimen

Initial Gauge Length Steel Aluminium Brass
Diameter d0(mm)
6.1 6.1 6.35

Initial Length L0(mm) 79.90 84.65 82.40

Final Gauge Length 6.20 6.75 6.35

Diameter d(mm)

Final Length L(mm) 74.55 78.70 78.70

Table 2: Experimental results of Brass, Aluminium, and Steel

Torque, (Nm)
Angle of twist,
Angle of twist, (⁰) (rad) Steel Aluminium Brass
0 0.0000 0 0 0
10 0.1745 14.9 0.1 2.9
20 0.3491 17 1.5 10.7
30 0.5236 17.7 7.1 12.5
40 0.6981 17.7 8.5 13
50 0.8727 17.7 8.9 13.2
60 1.0472 15.3 9.2 13.5
70 1.2217 11 9.5 13.7
80 1.3963 5 9.6 13.8
90 1.5708 - 9.7 13.9
100 1.7453 - 10 14
110 1.9199 - 10.4 14.2
120 2.0944 - 10.6 14.3
130 2.2689 - 10.8 14.4
140 2.4435 - 10.9 14.5
150 2.6180 - 11 14.6
160 2.7925 - 11.1 14.7
170 2.9671 - 11.2 14.8
180 3.1416 - 11.1 14.9

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190 3.3161 - 11.2 14.9
200 3.4907 - 11.3 14.7
210 3.6652 - 11.4 14.8
220 3.8397 - 11.5 14.9
230 4.0143 - 11.6 14.9
240 4.1888 - 11.7 15.1
250 4.3633 - 11.8 15.1
260 4.5379 - 11.8 15.2
270 4.7124 - 11.9 15.2
280 4.8869 - 12 15.3
290 5.0615 - 12.1 15.3
300 5.2360 - 12.1 15.4
310 5.4105 - 12.2 15.5
320 5.5851 - 12.3 15.5
330 5.7596 - 12.4 15.5
340 5.9341 - 12.4 15.6
350 6.1087 - 12.4 15.7
360 6.2832 - 12.5 15.7
370 6.4577 - 12.6 15.8
380 6.6323 - 12.6 15.8
390 6.8068 - 12.6 15.9
400 6.9813 - 12.6 15.9
410 7.1558 - - 15.9
420 7.3304 - - 15.9
430 7.5049 - - 15.9
440 7.6794 - - 16
450 7.8540 - - 16
460 8.0285 - - 16
470 8.2030 - - 16.1
480 8.3776 - - 16.1
490 8.5521 - - 16.1
500 8.7266 - - 16.2
510 8.9012 - - 16.2
520 9.0757 - - 16.2
530 9.2502 - - 16.3
540 9.4248 - - 16.3
550 9.5993 - - 16.4
560 9.7738 - - 16.5
570 9.9484 - - 16.4
580 10.1229 - - 16.4
590 10.2974 - - 16.4
600 10.4720 - - 16.5
610 10.6465 - - 16.6

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 620 10.8210 - - 16.6
630 10.9956 - - 16.6
640 11.1701 - - 16.6
650 11.3446 - - 16.6
660 11.5192 - - 16.7
670 11.6937 - - 16.7
680 11.8682 - - 16.7
690 12.0428 - - 16.7
700 12.2173 - - 16.7
710 12.3918 - - 16.8
720 12.5664 - - 16.8
730 12.7409 - - 16.8
740 12.9154 - - 16.8
750 13.0900 - - 16.8
760 13.2645 - - 16.9
770 13.4390 - - 16.9
780 13.6136 - - 16.9
790 13.7881 - - 16.9
800 13.9626 - - 16.9
810 14.1372 - - 16.9
820 14.3117 - - 16.9
830 14.4862 - - 17
840 14.6608 - - 17
850 14.8353 - - 17
860 15.0098 - - 17.1
870 15.1844 - - 17.1
880 15.3589 - - 17.1
890 15.5334 - - 17.1
900 15.7080 - - 17.1
910 15.8825 - - 17.1
920 16.0570 - - 17.2
930 16.2316 - - 17.2

Calculation formula:
Slope graph, m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)
Polar second moment of area, J = (πr4 /2).
Shear stress proportional 𝜏p = (G𝜽 / L) x r
Modulus rigidity, G = τ = G γ. @ m = GJ / L

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 Table 3: Calculation result
Specimen Slope graph, m Polar second Shear stress Modulus
moment of area, Proportional, 𝜏p rigidity, G
(𝑁𝑚 𝑟𝑎𝑑-1 ) J
( 𝑁𝑚𝑚-2 ) ( 𝑁𝑚𝑚-2 )
(𝑚𝑚-4 )
Steel 85.96 19.16 2.38 358.47
Aluminium 30.58 19.16 0.85 135.10
Brass 29.41 19.95 0.82 121.43

Figure 2: Torque (T) versus angle of twist (θ) graph of Steel

STEEL
20
18
16
Torque(Nm)

14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Angle of Twist(rad)

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 Torque(Nm) Torque(Nm)

0
2
4
6
8
0
2
6
4
8

14
16
18
20

10
12
10
12
14
0
0.523598776
1.047197551
1.570796327
2.094395102
2.617993878
3.141592654
3.665191429
4.188790205
4.71238898
5.235987756
5.759586532
6.283185307
6.806784083
7.330382858

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Brass
7.853981634
8.37758041
ALUMINIUM

8.901179185
Angle of twist(rad)
9.424777961

Angle of twist(rad)
9.948376736
10.47197551
10.99557429
11.51917306
12.04277184
12.56637061
13.08996939 Figure 4: Torque T versus angle of twist θ graph of Brass
Figure 3: Torque T versus angle of twist θ graph of Aluminium

13.61356817
14.13716694
14.66076572
15.18436449
15.70796327
16.23156204
 Figure 5: shear stress τ against angle of twist θ graph of Steel

Steel Shear Stress against Angle of Twist

25

20
Shear Stress

15

10

Angle of Twist (rad)

Figure 6: shear stress τ against angle of twist θ graph of Aluminium

Aluminum Shear Stress against Angle of Twist

40
35
30
Shear Stress

25
20
15
10
5
0

Angle of Twist (rad)

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 Shear Stress

0
10
30
40
60
80

20
50
70
0
0.523598776
1.047197551
1.570796327
2.094395102
2.617993878
3.141592654
3.665191429
4.188790205
4.71238898
5.235987756
5.759586532
6.283185307
6.806784083

9
7.330382858
7.853981634
8.37758041
8.901179185
9.424777961
Angle of Twist, (rad)

9.948376736
10.47197551
10.99557429
11.51917306
Brass Shear Stress against Angle of Twist

12.04277184
12.56637061
Figure 7: shear stress τ against angle of twist θ graph of Brass

Figure 8: shear stress (τ) against shear strain (γ) graph of Steel

13.08996939
13.61356817
14.13716694
14.66076572
15.18436449
15.70796327
16.23156204
 Figure 9: shear stress (τ) against shear strain (γ) graph of Aluminium

Figure 10: shear stress (τ) against shear strain (γ) graph of Brass

Table 4: Mechanical Properties of the Specimens from Stress-Strain Graph

Specimen Steel Aluminium Brass

Proportional limit 0.047 0.2453 0.6187
shear stress in
torsion
Shear modulus of 356.46 134.86 121.89
elasticity
Ultimate Stress 0.0533 0.2515 0.6254

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DISCUSSION
Based on the graph that have been plot by using the result obtain from the experiment, steel can
uphold torque from 14.4Nm until 17.7Nm, while aluminium torque range is from 7.1Nm to
12.6Nm and brass torque range is from 10.7Nm to 17.2Nm. This result is gained from doing the
experiment following the procedure and record a list of torque from each of the specimen. Brass
has the highest angle of twist to become fracture which is 930⁰ followed by aluminium with 400⁰
and lastly is steel with 60⁰. The digital reading will decrease after a certain angle of twist to show
that fracture have occur towards the specimen. The graph also can show that brass is the most
ductile among the specimen because it requires a lot of energy to break apart.
Based on theory, brass is very hard and ductile because brass is made from two different element
of steel which is iron and zinc. Brass is also known as an alloy because of its component. Alloy
has many characteristic better than pure element which is the hardness and strength they can
uphold. The arrangement of atom in brass are not uniform because of the composition of element
with different size making the atom not easily slip within each other. Next is aluminum which has
the second best ductile among the three specimens. Although aluminum is smooth than steel, it
can withstand higher torque because aluminum is malleable while steel is not malleable. That is
why steel is easier to fracture and break than aluminium.
Based on the shear, brass has higher value of shear because of high angle of twist needed to fracture
the brass which is 75.95 followed by aluminium with malleable characteristic which need 33.98
shear needed and then steel with 19.16 only. Steel has low amount of shear because steel is brittle.
Steel is not suitable to be shape into different shape because of its brittleness while aluminum is
malleable and brass has high ductility to break. Brass can also easily shape by not exceeding the
amount of stress put onto it.
The factors that can affect these results can happen during the lab is during the twisting process.
When turning the wheel, the digital reading need to be record after each 10 degree and the reading
can be different because the wheel might be stop to take the reading and cause the reading to have
an error. Next is the consistency to turn the wheel because the person that turning the wheel need
to turn it nonstop to avoid error from happening at the digital reading.

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CONCLUSION
Finally, the variation in shear stress values is due to the fact that the equation takes into
account geometric properties like polar moment of inertia as well as material properties like
modulus of rigidity. Using these equations, we can now differentiate between the properties of
different materials and predict their behaviour under torsional stress. Knowing material properties
like these is crucial for engineering design. Engineers will select the best material for their work
using this knowledge. It gives them the flexibility and support they need to make the best possible
product. In this test, steel has the highest modulus of rigidity (358.47 N𝑚𝑚−2 ) and applied torque
in the middle test which is 17.7 Nm, indicating that it is the strongest of the three materials
available and thus can withstand higher shear stress stresses than the other two when it comes to
same angle of twist. Aluminium came in second place among the three materials because it can
withstand more shear stress and applied torque than brass, but not as much as steel. Due to a
material property known as ductility, its shown that ductility is increase according to steel,
aluminium and brass. Among the available materials, brass is in the last place for modulus of
rigidity (121.43 N𝑚𝑚−2 ). Brass is the most ductile, while steel is the most brittle, according to
results of this experiment. To improve the outcome, keep the diameter constant and calculate the
substance's length to find the mean value, which will be more accurate and reduce error during the
experiment.
REFERENCE:

1. Torsion Testing Experiment. Free Essays - PhDessay.com. (2021, January

27).from https://phdessay.com/torsion-testing-experiment/.

2. Torsional Testing of Materials, Mechanics of Material Lab Report. (2021,

January 27).from https://www.green-mechanic.com/2016/09/torsional-
testing-of-materials.html

3. Callister, W. D., & Rethwisch, D. G. (2012). Fundamentals of materials science

and engineering: An integrated approach. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley

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