Tension Test of Low Carbon Steel

Mechanics of Materials Laboratory

AEM-251

Submitted by:
Khaled Almutairi
Submitted to:
Dr. M. E. Barkey

Submission Date:

Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics

The University of Alabama
Section-C: Lab Procedure
 First it was determined that which type of material to be tested and then measured the initial

diameter in the gage section.

 The specimen was sketched as it looked before the test.

 Permanent marker was used to mark a 1 inch gage length.

 The load cell calibrated and zeros the load cell.

 Then sample was placed in the testing machine grips.

 The extensometer was attached to the specimen at the pen markings.

 Then proceeded with the test as instructed.

 The extensometer was removed when the specimen begins to neck, if the extensometer

travel length is about to be exceeded and recorded the final gage length and diameter of the

broken specimen.
Section-D: Lab Report
Material Low Carbon Steel

S. No. Initial Final Initial Initial height Final Width Final

Length Length Width height
1. 1.06-in 1.61-in 0.37 0.13 0.27 0.006

Sketch of Specimen before and after test:

Steel Stress Strain

90000
80000
70000
60000
Stress (Psi)

50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
0.00E+00 2.00E+02 4.00E+02 6.00E+02 8.00E+02 1.00E+03 1.20E+03 1.40E+03 1.60E+03 1.80E+03

Strain
Summarizing the results below:

 Ultimate Stress: Max Stress = 83142 psi

 Modulus of Elasticity: Stress/Strain = 28,031,126.6 Psi

 Yield Stress = 76582 psi

Section-E: Questions

1. How does the value of the modulus of elasticity compare to the accepted
value? Calculate the percent difference.
The accepted value of is 29,000,000 psi and calculated was 28,031,126.6 psi so it is about 3.57%
difference from the accepted value.

2. How does the value of the yield stress compare to the accepted value?
Calculate the percent difference.
The accepted value of is 53700 psi and calculated is 76582 psi so it is about 29.8 % difference
from the accepted value.

Yield Stress Graph

80000
70000
60000
50000
Stress (Psi)

40000
30000
20000
10000
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Strain ( in/in)
3. Sketch the stress state from a tension test. Indicate the formula for
calculating axial stress.
…The formula for calculating the axial stress:

fa=¿ Pc/t / A

4. Sketch the strain state from a tension test. Indicate the formulas for
calculating the axial and transverse strain.
… Axial and transverse strain is calculated by the formula:

∆L
∈=
L

Section-F: Discussion
The load and force were transformed into the stress and strain because the force provided was
not according to unit area. Force on each time period was divided by the cross-sectional area of
the specimen and stress was achieved. Strain provided represent the change in length of the
specimen that how much specimen was elongated from its original position. Modulus of
elasticity of specimen was calculated from 0.2% slope of the stress strain curve when it was in
elastic range. If the material was loaded in the plastic region then unloaded then the material
cannot go back to elastic region and its deformation was unchanged. Material cannot get back to
elastic region once it’s entered into plastic region. The measured values of the materials were
less than the expected values because of the reason that the jaws of machine might not hold the
material properly or due to friction losses.

It was also observed from the experiment that when load was applied to the aluminum specimen,
there was increase in deformation of the specimen as well as increase in load applied to that
specimen. Load was increased up to a certain point when there was no increase in load but
increase in deflection in specimen. Moreover, there was decrease in diameter of the specimen
used known as necking phenomenon. Difference between initial and final dimension of the
specimen was not more than 30%. The yield stress was calculated as 76582 psi. The ultimate
tensile strength of steel was 83142 psi with the modulus of elasticity was 28,031,126.6 psi
having 3.57% error which is a ductile material.