TITLE : STEEL TENSILE TEST

Introduction

The traditional methods of conducting laboratory activities will not be able to

provide the avenue for students to enhance independent learning activities and
inculcate creativity and innovation. Level 0 is fully prescriptive where problem,
ways & means and answers are provided to the students. However it is still
necessary especially to first and second year students.

In this laboratory activity students will be exposed to the apparatus and the
procedures to carry out tensile test by given sample of steel.

Objectives

To observe the behavior of a material subjected to tensile load.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the laboratory activity, students would be able to:

1. Organize and conduct bulking of fine aggregate laboratory experiment.

2. Classify the standard of bulking fine aggregate (sand) percentage.
3. Analyse data correctly and present in typical format.
4. Work in a group to produce technical report.

Theoretical Background

When tensile loading is applied on a material, deformation will occur. With

known values for the force exerted on the material as well as its corresponding
deformation, two properties called stress and strain can be calculated.

Stress is defined as :
F
= A

Where = stress

F = force

A = cross-sectional area of the material

In general a material is considered to be brittle if percent elongation is at

5% at fracture and ductile if percent elongation and reduction in area
(both) are at 25%.
TWO (2) methods to determine the ductility of steel.

Percent Elongation

This is determined by fitting together, after fracture, the parts of the specimen
and measuring the distance between the original gauge marks.

Where;
Lf = final gauge length
Lo = original gauge length.

In reporting percent elongation, the original gauge length must be specified

since the percent elongation will vary with gauge length.

Reduction in Area

This is also determined from the broken halves of the tensile specimen by
measuring the minimum cross sectional area and using the following formula.

Where,
Ao = original cross sectional area
 Af = final cross sectional area

Problem Statement

Students are required to conduct tensile test to observe the behavior of a

material subjected to tensile load.

Apparatus
1. Universal Testing Machine (UTM).
2. Test specimen.
3. Tape measure.

Procedure:
1. Make sure test specimen to be used comply with stated requirement (i.e.
shape of the test specimen, material, allowable dimension).
2. Measure the initial dimension (initial length and initial diameter).
3. Set up the tensile test apparatus.
4. Slowly extend the loading shaft by using the handle. Ensure the relief value
is fully tightened.
5. Switch ON the main power supply and the machine selector switch.
6. Record down the load applied (Newton, from load meter) and the
elongation of specimen (mm, from dial gauge).
7. Switch OFF the main machine. Remove the test specimen from the upper
and lower chuck screw.
8. Measure the final dimension of the test specimen (i.e. final length, final
diameter), at where failure occurred.

Data Acquisition

Material = Steel

Initial measurement
Initial length = mm
Initial diameter = mm
Initial area = mm

Final Measurement
Final length = mm
Final diameter = mm
Final area = mm

elongation at fracture
Percentage of elongation %L = original gauge length x 100

= x 100

=%
areaat fracture
Reduction in area %RA = original area x 100

= x 100

=%

Disscussion

1. Calculate the percentage of elongation, % L and percentage reduction in

area, %RA of the test specimen at fracture.

elongation at fracture
Percentage of elongation %L = original gauge length x 100

= x 100

=%
areaat fracture
Reduction in area %RA = original area x 100

= x 100

=%

2. From the graph obtained, identify the elastic region, plastic region, yield
point, ultimate tensile stress point and break point. Hence determine the
modulus of elasticity, E, yield stress, yield and ultimate tensile stress,
ultimate of the material.

The stress-strain relationships of the specimen as shown in graph.

The

elastic modulus for the steel sample had elongated % and the cross

sectional area at the point of fracture had decreased by %. The values

for the ultimate tensile stress, ultimate for the steel is N/mm.

The yield stress yield for steel occurs at N/mm.

The steel sample had a larger necking region. Necking is a property of a

ductile material. The steel sample showed a very rapid transition between the
decreased area and the rest of its length. The stress-stain results that were read
from the machine were inacurate. One innacuracy is that the experiment used
the nominal stress of the sample rather than the true stress. However, the
difference between the two are very small, particuarly in the elastic region of the
test, and could not cause such a large difference between the experimental and
theoretical value of yield stress. This would mean the difference is more likely to
be caused by that very little confidence can be placed on determining the yield
stress with one run of an experiment and by detemining the yield stress using
the graph.

Conclusion

Steel can be considered to have a higher yield and tensile strength with an
equal elastic Modulus.

TITLE : MECHANICAL PROPERTIES FOR STEEL AND TIMBER

1.1 Introduction

The need for an open-ended laboratory activity is emphasized in enhancing

independent learning activities and inculcating creativity and innovation of
students. It is now a required element in an accreditation exercise as
stipulated in the EAC Manual 2012.

In this fully open laboratory activity students will be exposed to determine the
mechanical properties for two types of construction materials which are steel and
timber.

1.2 Objective

The objective of the test is: To determine the mechanical properties for two
types of construction materials which are steel and timber.

- Two tests applicable : Steel Tensile Test and Timber Flexural Test

1.3 Learning Outcomes

At the end of the laboratory activity, students would be able to:

1. Organize and conduct the relevant test to determine the mechanical

properties of steel and timber.
2. Analyze data correctly and present in typical format.
3. Work in group and produce technical report.

1.4 Theoretical Background

If a material is to be used as part of an engineering structure that will be

subjected to a load (e.g. the support for a bridge, the pavement in a highway). It
is important to know that the material is strong enough and stiff enough to
withstand the loads that it will experience in use. As a result, engineers have
developed a number of techniques for testing the response of materials to
external forces such as tension (pulling apart), compression (squeezing) or
torsion (twirsting).

Steel Tensile Test

TWO (2) methods to determine the ductility of steel.

Percent Elongation

This is determined by fitting together, after fracture, the parts of the specimen
and measuring the distance between the original gauge marks.
Where; Lf = final gauge length

Lo = original gauge length.

In reporting percent elongation, the original gauge length must be specified

since the percent elongation will vary with gauge length.

Reduction in Area

This is also determined from the broken halves of the tensile specimen by
measuring the minimum cross sectional area and using the following formula.

Where, Ao = original cross sectional area

Af = final cross sectional area

Timber Flexural Test

This mechanical testing method measures the behaviour of materials subjected

to simple bending loads. Like tensile modulus, flexural modulus (stiffness) is
calculated from the slopeof the bending load vs. deflection curve. Flexural
testing involves the bending of a material,rather than pushing or pulling, to
determine the relationship between bending stress anddeflection. Flexural
testing is commonly used on brittle materials such as ceramics, stone,masonry
and glasses. It can also be used to examine the behaviour of materials which
areintended to bend during their useful life, such as wire insulation and other
elastomeric productsThe three point bending flexural test provides values for
themodulus of elasticityin bending ,flexural stress, flexural strain and the
flexural stress-strain response of thematerial. The main advantage of a three
point flexural test is the ease of the specimen preparation and testing. However,
this method has also some disadvantages: the results of thetesting method are
sensitive to specimen and loading geometry and strain rate.

Flexural strength (


) is the maximum capability of a material to resist the plasticdeformation.
Equation 2 is used to calculate the value of flexural strength (

).

- (2)where;

: flexural strength (MPa)Y : yield point which the load does not increase with an
increase in strain (N)L : the length of the support span (mm) b : width of the
specimen (mm)d : thickness of the specimen (mm)Flexural strain (

) is nominal fractional change in the length of an element of the outer surface of

the specimen at middle of span, where the maximum strain occurs. Equation 3
isused to calculate the value of flexural strain (

).

- (3)where;

: flexural strainD : maximum deflection of the centre of the beam (mm)L : the
length of the support span (mm)d : thickness of the specimen (mm)Modulus of
Elasticity (MOE) is the ratio, within the elastic limit, of stress to
correspondingstrain. Equation 4 is used to calculate the value of Modulus of
Elasticity (MOE).

- (4)where;

: modulus of elasticity (MPa)m : slope of the tangent to the initial straight-line

portion of the load deflection curve(N/mm)L : the length of the support span
(mm) b : width of the specimen (mm)d : thickness of the specimen (mm)
Problem Statement

Steel material often facing tension issue if not correctly designed by consultant
and installed by contractor. To overcome any problems occur at site in the future,
steel sample need to be tested first before can be installed at site. The timber
also can face related problem and need to be tested first. As a group, you will be
given steel and timber sample and conduct any appropriate testing to determine
the mechanical properties of both materials using testing equipment available in
the lab and subsequently analyze the data and present it in a proper technical
format.

3.1 Apparatus

Steel Tensile Test

1. Universal Testing Machine (UTM).

2. Test specimen.
3. Vernier Calliper..

Timber Flexural Test

1. Universal Testing Machine (UTM).

2. Test specimen.
3. Vernier Calliper.
Timber Flexural Test
3.2 Procedures

Steel Tensile Test

1. Make sure test specimen to be used comply with stated requirement (Y10).
2. Measure the initial dimension (initial length and initial diameter).
3. Set up the tensile test apparatus.
4. Slowly extend the loading shaft by using the handle. Ensure the relief value
is fully tightened.
5. Switch ON the main power supply and the machine selector switch.
6. Record down the load applied (Newton, from load meter) and the
elongation of specimen (mm, from dial gauge).
7. Switch OFF the main machine. Remove the test specimen from the upper
and lower chuck screw.
8. Measure the final dimension of the test specimen (i.e. final length, final
diameter), at where failure occurred.
9. A graph stress vs displacement is plotted.

Timber Flexural Test

3.3 Data Acquisition

Steel Tensile Test

Steel Type : Y10

Steel Diameter : 10.62 mm
Steel Length : 40.70 cm
Speed : 0.1 cm/s

Gauge Mass Neckin Yield Yied Ultim Ultim Fractu Break

Lengt (kg) g Load Stress ate ate re Stress
h Diame (kN) (N/m Load Stress Load (N/m
(mm) ter m2) (kN) (N/m (kN) m2)
(mm) m2)
308.00 0.250 7.270 45.00 500.00 5.039 568.82 32.219 363.72
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