UNIVERSITY OF GARYOUNIS FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Strength of Material Lab

ME 325

Experiment No. 1 Tensile Strength

OBJECTIVE:

To draw the stress-strain curve of specified materials by stress to fracture to determine the

mechanical properties such as:

1 Modulus of Elasticity, E (GPa)

2 Proportional limit, σ prop (MPa)

3 Yield stress, σ y (MPa)

4 Ultimate stress, σult (MPa)

5 Rupture stress, σrup (MPa)

6 Elongation (%) and reduction in area (%)

Using HOOKS Low

INTRODUCTION:

Tensile strengths one of most common mechanical stress-strain test as preformed in tension,

the tension test can be used to ascertain several 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 and the resulting load-deformation

recorded at room temperature, using the (Tensometer W) testing machine Figure 1.

1/4
 Figure 1. Tensometer machine

APPARATUS:

1 Test specimen:

Figure 2. Test specimen

2 Tensometer:

The machine used in this test is a Monasto Tensometer Figure, 1.This machine

can be used for tension and compression tests up to maximum load of 20KN. The

specimen is mounted by its ends into tensile chucks (grips). The load is applied to

the specimen on the Hounsfield Tensometer by means of screw. The force on the

specimen is transmitted to a calibrated beam spring, the deflection of the beam

displaces the lever witch moves a mercury column.

The force is applied by rotating the screw mechanism. The load is measured by

2/4
moving the pointer to coincide with the top of the mercury column, and puncturing

the graph paper on the recording drum.

The rotation of the loading screw drives the recording drum through suitable gears,

the magnifications available are 4:1, 8:1 and 16:1. The chart on the drum gives a

graph of load against extension.

3- Reduction area gage:

Universal reduction in area gage Figure 3. Used to gives on one scale the

reduction in area %, of any test-piece. Before test, the unbroken test-piece is placed

at zero reading; the two arms are closed to touch it and are then locked. After test a

broken end is moved towards the pivot and reading where it touches both arms is

the reduction in area %.

Figure 3. Universal reduction in area gage.

4- elongation gage:

Universal elongation gage Figure 4. Used to measure ductility. This gage

shows on one scale the elongation % of the test-piece, the horizontal cradle is

locked at the appropriate vertical distance from the arm pivot, which is

proportional to the length of the test-piece on which the elongation is required.

3/4
The left hand scale, which is 2.50 times full size, is used for test-pieces in which

the parallel length. Before pulling the test-piece, it is laid in the cradle, the pivoted

arm is moved to the left, pushing the test-piece and left slide or abutment before it

until the arm reading is zero. The left slide is then locked.

After test, the two ends of broken test-piece are fitted together and lightly pressed

against the left slide by the arm, the new reading of which gives the elongation %.

In fitting the fractured ends together in the cradle use only the thumbs for holding

the test-piece heads against the abutrnents.

Figure 4. Universal elongation gage

5- Procedure:

Fit the graph paper to the recording drum, select 16:1 magnification and zero the

mercury column. Place the specimen between the jaws of the machine, start the

motor, follow the mercury column movement by puncturing the graph paper on the

recording drum until the test-piece fractures. Draw the load-deformation curve by

tracing the points on the graph paper.

4/4