Allen E.

Paulson College of Engineering

Lab 1
The Tensile Test
Material Science Lab, Spring 2015
Dr. Mohammed Benalla

Group #1
Richard Garrison
Submission Date: 03 February 2015

Abstract
The Tensile Test is used to create a Stress-Strain curve from the
application of force on both ends of a sample of material. From the StressStrain graph constructed several properties can be measured or concluded
about the data. For this particular experiment it was necessary to determine
Youngs Modulus, yield strength, ductility, and breaking strength of HIPS
Plastic, Brass, and Steel samples. Each material endured three trials to
obtain more accurate data. Before hand, it was necessary to measure the
dimensions of each sample before inducing stress upon it in order to have
initial values for % Elongation calculations. After conducting the experiment,
collecting the data, and exporting the data for analysis it was determined
that Steel has the largest Youngs Modulus, followed by Brass, and HIPS
Plastic respectively. In regards to yield strength from highest to lowest it is
Brass, Steel, and HIPS Plastic. Breaking strength calculations returned the
same phenomenon as yield strength. When considering ductility (%
Elongation) Steel possessed the highest value followed by HIPS Plastic and
Brass respectively.

Introduction
The Tensile Test is well established experiment to measure several
properties of a material. They are such properties such as yield strength,
tensile strength, elastic properties, and ductility. The results of such as test is

displayed in the form of a stress strain curve from which the material
properties can be determined from the behavior of the line. The Modulus of
Elasticity (E) is the measured slope of the linear section of the Stress Strain
curve and it determines exactly how elastic a material is. The yield strength
is a measurement that describes how much stress a material can withstand
before its deformations become permanent or plastic. Ductility is the ability
of a material to be permanently deformed without breaking when a force is
applied. All values whether it be measurements or calculation were to be
recorded.

Methods and Procedures

Experimentation began by obtaining three samples of three separate
materials. The materials tested were plastic, brass, and steel. Before
applying any stress to the sample all coupons were measured in order to
gauge the initial area Ao of the cross section. The tensile test machine was
then preloaded to 5N to calibrate it before it was tarred and zeroed. The
software used for the machine would measure and display the stress strain
curve as the sample was elongated. Each sample endured three trials on the
tensile test to obtain accuracy and to suffice to scientific necessity of
repeatability. To obtain more interpretable data it was necessary to export
the experiment values into Excel and reconstruct the graph in order to gain
the slope of the elastic region of the Stress Strain curve. After the sample

had succumbed to the stress applied it was necessary to evaluate the

change in length and cross sectional area, two values calculated by the
software. After the experiment, analysis and conclusions could be drawn
about the behavior of the materials under tension.

Data
The following data show the measured dimensions of the coupons
using a caliper. These values will become necessary later when determining
factors such as elongation and ductility.
Sampl

HIPS

HIPS

Brass

Brass

Brass

Plastic

Plastic

Length

1
80.24

2
80.33

79.88

79.86

79.94

80.01

80.09

80.08

(mm)
Width

4.04

4.06

4.0

4.0

3.98

4.01

4.02

4.0

(mm)
Height

0.4

0.4

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.09

0.09

1.0

(mm)
Cross

1.616

1.624

0.32

0.32

0.318

0.360

0.361

4.0

Sectio
nal
Area
(mm2)
Table I

Steel 1 Steel 2 Steel 3

The following data show the stress strain curve created from each trial of
each sample.
f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Plastic Trial 1

3.50E+01
3.00E+01
2.50E+01
2.00E+01

Stress(MPa)

Linear ()

1.50E+01
1.00E+01
5.00E+00
0.00E+00
0.00E+00 1.00E-01 2.00E-01 3.00E-01 4.00E-01
Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 1 HIPS Plastic Trial 1

f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Plastic Trial 2

3.50E+01
3.00E+01
2.50E+01
2.00E+01

Stress(MPa)

Linear ()

1.50E+01
1.00E+01
5.00E+00
0.00E+00
0.00E+00

5.00E-02

1.00E-01

1.50E-01

Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 2 HIPS Plastic Trial 2

f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Brass Trial 1

2.50E+02
2.00E+02
1.50E+02
Linear ()

Stress (MPa)
1.00E+02
5.00E+01
0.00E+00
0.00E+00

1.00E-02

2.00E-02

Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 3 Brass Trial 1

3.00E-02

f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Brass Trial 2

4.00E+02
3.50E+02
3.00E+02
2.50E+02

Stress (MPa)

Linear ()

2.00E+02
1.50E+02
1.00E+02
5.00E+01
0.00E+00
0.00E+00 5.00E-02 1.00E-01 1.50E-01 2.00E-01
Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 4 Brass Trial 2

f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Brass Trial 3

4.00E+02
3.50E+02
3.00E+02
2.50E+02

Stress (MPa)

Linear ()

2.00E+02
1.50E+02
1.00E+02
5.00E+01
0.00E+00
0.00E+00

5.00E-02

1.00E-01

Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 5 Brass Trial3

1.50E-01

f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Steel Trial 1

2.50E+02
2.00E+02
1.50E+02

Stress (MPa)

Linear ()
1.00E+02
5.00E+01
0.00E+00
0.00E+00

1.00E-01

2.00E-01

3.00E-01

Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 6 Steel Trial 1

f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Steel Trial 2

2.00E+02
1.50E+02

Stress (MPa)

Linear ()

1.00E+02
5.00E+01
0.00E+00
0.00E+00

2.00E-01
Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 7 Steel Trial 2

4.00E-01

f(x) =
R = 0

Tensile Test: Steel Trial 3

1.60E+02
1.40E+02
1.20E+02
1.00E+02

Stress (Mpa)

Linear ()

8.00E+01
6.00E+01
4.00E+01
2.00E+01
0.00E+00
0.00E+00

2.00E-01

4.00E-01

Strain (mm/mm)

Figure 8 Steel Trial 3

Results
After conducting the tensile test several deductions can be made about
the materials tested in the experiment. Among these include the Modulus of
Elasticity (E) which is the measured lope of the linear section of the Stress
Strain curve, and it determines exactly how elastic a material is. The
relationship between the slopes of the elastic region is best summarized as
the steeper the slope the least elastic a material is. The flatter the slope the
more elastic the material is. This phenomenon shows that out of the three
material tested Steel is the least elastic, followed by Brass, and then HIPS
Plastic the most elastic. The measured Youngs Modulus is 1003.4, 79776,
and 93796.7 respectively.

It should be noted that the Youngs Modulus was taken directly from
the calculated slopes of the Stress-Strain graphs created in Excel. Therefore,
there are no calculations performed. However, the values were averaged
together before being entered into Table I. Consider the Youngs Modulus for
Brass.

of You n g ' sModulud Values

Number of Trials

( 71,381+76,978+ 90,969 )
=79,776
3

Another conclusion drawn from the Stress Strain curve is the yield
strength. The yield strength is a measurement that describes how much
stress a material can withstand before its deformations become permanent
or plastic. It is calculated by computing a 0.2% value from the point of initial
stress application and drawing a line along the elastic region of the stress
strain curve. Where that line intersects the stress strain curve indicates the
yield strength. Through the experiment it is determined that the yield
strength for HIPS Plastic, Brass, and Steel are 25.25 MPa, 224 MPa, and 154
MPa respectively.
Yield Strength was calculated using the following procedure. 0.2% of
the maximum strain was calculated then a parallel line with respect to the
elastic trendline was drawn. Where the resulting line intersects the StressStrain curve lay the Yield Strength. Consider HIPS Plastic Trial 1.

0.2 x Maximum Strain Value=Yield Strenth

0.2 x 0.300581

=0.602(mm/mm)
( mm
mm )

From the new strain rate of 0.602 (mm/mm) a new trendline can be
drawn parallel to the elastic region. The new line intersects the Stress-Strain
curve at 23.3 MPa.
Ductility will also be computed using data from the stress strain curve.
Ductility is the measure of how much stress a material can withstand once it
has reached plastic deformation. Since ductility can be calculated using
length elongation the measurements for HIPS Plastic, Brass, and Steel are
20.22%, 10.46%, and 30.23% respectively. The previous values were
computed using the following equation. Consider HIPS Plastic Trial 1.

Elongation=

Final Lengthitial Length

x 100
Initial Length

Elongation=

104.3680.24
x 100=30.06
80.24

The last component of the stress strain curve that will be considered is
breaking strength, or the maximum amount of stress a material can endure
before complete failure. For HIPS Plastic, Brass, and Steel the breaking
strengths are 2.815 MPa, 269.3 MPa, and 171.67 MPa respectively.

Breaking strength was also a value taken directly from the graph so no
calculations were needed. However, the values were averaged together
before being entered into Table II. Consider the breaking strengths for Steel

of Breaking StrengthValue
Number of Trials

( 198+138+ 134 ) MPa

=171.67 MPa
3

All results are finalized in the following table. It should be noted that
Table I contains the averages from the three trials completed.
Material

Youngs
Modulus

HIPS Plastic
Brass
Steel

1003.4
79,776
93,796.7

Yield Strength Ductility (%)

(MPa)
25.25
224
154
Table II

Breaking
Strength

20.22
10.46
30.23

(MPa)
2.815
269.3
171.67

Discussion
From the results it can be concluded that HIPS plastic is far more
elastic than the two other materials. Brass being an alloy composed of two
metals it inherits a more elasticity than Steel. However, from the data it can
be interpreted that HIPS Plastic had the lowest yield strength and Breaking

Strength. This is not surprising when comparing the strength capabilities of

plastic to metals. Counter intuitively, Brass possessed higher yield strength
and breaking strength than Steel. This phenomenon is perhaps Steel is less
brittle and less elastic than Brass even after both metals had begun to
experience plastic deformation.
This is why that although Brass has a higher yield strength, Steel is
used in construction, because it can withstand more stress as the material
approaches the plastic region. Also according to Table II Steel is more ductile
than HIPS Plastic even though HIPS Plastic has a lower Youngs Modulus
(more elastic). Although the experiment was repeated three times for each
type of material to satisfy the criteria of repeatability, there was still error
involved.
Most error arose through the mechanical failure of some of the
coupons as well as the tensile machine. The next source of error that arose
was of the human variety since the stress induced was human propelled.
Since stress was induced on a hand operated mechanism, variations on
angular velocity cause differences in the recording of the data. This results in
experimental error and skewed data phenomenon. The most glaring variation
in the data is the fact that HIPS Plastic was only conducted twice. On two
separate occasions the plastic sample deformed so much that maximum
tension was not reached and the data was not recorded.

Conclusion

In conclusion it should be noted that the tensile test is a very effective

means of material properties analysis. The experiment was conducted and
data was collected concerning the Youngs Modulus, yield strength, ductility,
and breaking strength of three types of materials. Each material was tested
three times to satisfy scientific criteria of accuracy of the results. Several
conclusions could be drawn about the behavior of the materials under stress,
some being counter intuitive. Consider, HIPS Plastic which had the lowest
Youngs Modulus, but in fact did not have the highest ductility. The most
ductile material according to the data is Steel. Steel possess the highest
Youngs Modulus of all three materials compared, but surprising does not
have the highest yield strength or breaking strength. However, one must
recall that although a material may possess higher values for the yield
strength, it may perform much better as stress induces plastic deformation
upon it.