1.

0Abstract
The elastic modulus, yield point, and ultimate strength of mild steel were determined in
uniaxial tension. The "dogbone" specimen geometry was used with the region of minimum
cross section having the dimensions: thickness =1.04 mm, width = 3.14 mm, and length
section = 30 mm. This experiment was accomplished by first placing our specimens one at a
time into a tensile testing machine (A G.U.N.T Hamburg Tensile Testing Machine (Max.
load = 2kN)), which, under physical control, slowly increased the tension force on each
specimen, stretching each until failure. We then analyzed the data output from the load and
extension gauge. Referring from the resultant graph, we can see that the obtained graph line
is straight until the one point it decrease gradually and be rupture. This shows that both
variables on the graph are linearly related with each other. From the data obtained, we
identify types of fracture surface of mild steel under tensile loading. The yield strength was
determined

to

be

165.165MPa.The

ultimate

strength

was

determined

to

be

285.285MPa.Calculation for percentage elongation was determined to be 43 percent. After

all, experimental result was compared with theoretical data.

Page | 1

Table of Contents
1.0

Abstract ........................................................................................................................... 1

2.0

Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 4

3.0

Objectives ....................................................................................................................... 5

4.0

Theory ............................................................................................................................. 6

5.0

Experimental Procedure .................................................................................................. 8

5.1

Apparatus/Experimental Setup.................................................................................... 8

5.2

Procedure ..................................................................................................................... 9

6.0

Data ............................................................................................................................... 10

7.0

References ..................................................................................................................... 16

8.0

Appendices.................................................................................................................... 17

List of table:
Table 1: Data ............................................................................................................................ 13

List of Figures:
Figure 1: Standard tensile test specimen .................................................................................. 4
Figure 2: Sample mild steel shape ............................................................................................. 6
Figure 3: Stress-strain graph of mild steel ................................................................................. 7
Figure 4: G.U.N.T Hamburg Tensile Testing Machine (Max. load = 2kN) .................................. 8
Figure 5: Specimen (aluminum) ................................................................................................. 8
Figure 6: Vernier calliper ............................................................................................................ 8
Figure 7: Load(kN) vs Extension(mm) graph ............................................................................ 14
Figure 8: Stress vs strain graph ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Page | 2

List of Symbols
A

Area over which force (F) acts (m2)

Elastic modulus (GPa)

Force (N)

( )

Initial dimension in direction i (mm)

Specimen thickness (m)

Rate of chart displacement (mm/min)
Rate of sample displacement (mm/min)

Specimen width (m)

Displacement of chart (mm)
Displacement of sample (mm)
Strain
=0

Predicted strain at zero stress

Normal strain in direction i

Error in the predicted elastic modulus (GPa)

Error in the force (N)

Change in dimension in direction i (mm)

Error in the specimen thickness (m)

Error in the width (m)

=0

Error in the predicted strain at zero stress

Error in the predicted intercept of stress-stain data (MPa)
Error in the stress (MPa)
Predicted intercept of stress-strain data (MPa)
Engineering stress (MPa)
Yield point (MPa)
Ultimate strength (MPa)

Page | 3

2.0 Introduction
One material property that is widely used and recognized is the strength of a material.
But what does the word strength mean? Strength can have many meanings, so let us take
a closer look at what is meant by the strength of a material. We will look at a very easy
experiment that provides lots of information about the strength or the mechanical behavior of
a material, called the tensile test.
The basic idea of a tensile test is to place a sample of a material between two fixtures
called grips which clamp the material.The material has known dimensions, like length and
cross-sectional area.We then begin to apply weight to the material gripped at one end while
the other end is fixed.We keep increasing the weight often called the load or force while at
the same time measuring the change in length of the sample.
The result of this test is a graph of load amount of weight versus displacement amount
it stretched.Since the amount of weight needed to stretch the material depends on the size of
the material and of course the properties of the material, comparison between materials can
be very challenging.The ability to make a proper comparison can be very important to
someone designing for structural applications where the material must withstand certain
forces.

Figure 1: Standard tensile test specimen

Page | 4

3.0 Objectives
The purpose of this experiment is to :
1.0 determine the tensile properties subjected to tensile loading.
2.0 Identify Types of fracture surface under tensile loading.
3.0 Validate the data between experimental and theoretical values.

Page | 5

4.0 Theory
Certain materials which are linear, homogeneous, elastic, and isotropic can be
described by their material properties. These properties include the modulus of elasticity,
ultimate tensile strength, modulus of toughness, modulus of resilience and yield strength.
Assuming mild steel is homogenous material, tensile testing had been carried out. One of
important fundamental material Science is tensile testing which is carried out by applying
uniaxial stress on the subject until it fracture such below.

Figure 2: Sample mild steel shape

When force are applied to materials, it deform in reaction to those forces. This
uniaxial stress also known as tensile stress is given by a formula of:

(1)

While normal strain is given by:

(2)

In theory, properties of material include the modulus of elasticity, modulus of

toughness, modulus of resilience, ultimate tensile strength, and yield strength applied to all
instances of that material undergoing the same type of stress, allowing one to design
structural elements whose behaviour can be predicted but in at early stage of tested material
will elongate to show elastic behaviour as the apply stress is proportional to the strain and
Hookes law is obeyed. Hence this formula came:

(3)

Page | 6

Figure 3: Stress-strain graph of mild steel

Elastic modulus, E also can be determine from Stress-strain graph which act as the
gradient from the initial to limit of proportionality. As stress increasing, elastic behaviour
stop at their elastic limit and entering plastic deformation.
E = slope =

(4)

Since many metals lack a sharp yields points, i.e a sudden, observable transition
between the elastic region and the plastic region, the yields points is often defined as the
stress that gives rise to a 0.2% permanent plastic strain. By this convention, a line is drawn
parallel to the elastic region of the materials, starting at a strain level of 0.2% strain. The
point at which this line intersects the curve is called the yield point or yield stress. The
ultimate tensile strength( stress), in contrast is found by determining the maximum stress,
reached by the materials.
The ductility of the material can be measured most accurately from the tensile test using this
definition:
Ductility = Change in x-sectional area
Original x-sectional area

This measure of ductility is closely related to one based upon the change in gage length
divided by the original gage length, but after fracture the gage length is difficult to measure
Tensile testing is very important because the performance of materials are a matter of life or
death. Cars and airplanes cannot fail, and buildings must stay standing or it will cost life.

Page | 7

5.0 Experimental Procedure

5.1

Apparatus/Experimental Setup

A G.U.N.T Hamburg Tensile Testing Machine (Max. load = 2kN), Vernier Caliper and
specimen.

Figure 4: G.U.N.T Hamburg Tensile Testing Machine (Max. load = 2kN)

Figure 5: Specimen (aluminum)

Figure 6: Vernier calliper

Page | 8

5.2

Procedure
1. Vernier caliper used to measure the initial gage length, width and thickness
of the test specimen.
2. The specimen was mounted to the gripping grip of the machine.
3. The load anchor was turned slowly to counter clockwise rotation until the
specimen fixed in gripping head.(Notes: The specimen must lays correctly
to the ground of the gripping head groove)
4. Both gauges were reset to zero (extension gauge and load gauge).
5. The wheel rotated until the extension gauge reading reached 10 units.
6. Take and record the load reading
7. Step 5 and 6 repeated until the specimen fracture.

Note that:
- Counter clockwise turning for tension, clockwise turning for compressive.
- Ratio for load gage: 1cm = 0.05N, dial gage: 1cm = 0.01

Page | 9

6.0 Data

w
Lo

Lo = 30mm, L = 42.9 mm, w = 3.14 mm, t = 1.06 mm, A = 3.33 mm

No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Extension(mm)
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
3

Load (Kn)
0.1
0.25
0.4
0.5
0.55
0.55
0.55
0.6
0.6
0.65
0.65
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.85
0.85
0.85

Strain
0.0033
0.0067
0.0100
0.0133
0.0167
0.0200
0.0233
0.0267
0.0300
0.0333
0.0367
0.0400
0.0433
0.0467
0.0500
0.0533
0.0567
0.0600
0.0633
0.0667
0.0700
0.0733
0.0767
0.0800
0.0833
0.0867
0.0900
0.0933
0.0967
0.1000

Stress (kPa)
30030.03003
75075.07508
120120.1201
150150.1502
165165.1652
165165.1652
165165.1652
180180.1802
180180.1802
195195.1952
195195.1952
210210.2102
210210.2102
210210.2102
210210.2102
225225.2252
225225.2252
225225.2252
225225.2252
225225.2252
240240.2402
240240.2402
240240.2402
240240.2402
240240.2402
240240.2402
240240.2402
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
Page | 10

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71

3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
7
7.1

0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9

0.1033
0.1067
0.1100
0.1133
0.1167
0.1200
0.1233
0.1267
0.1300
0.1333
0.1367
0.1400
0.1433
0.1467
0.1500
0.1533
0.1567
0.1600
0.1633
0.1667
0.1700
0.1733
0.1767
0.1800
0.1833
0.1867
0.1900
0.1933
0.1967
0.2000
0.2033
0.2067
0.2100
0.2133
0.2167
0.2200
0.2233
0.2267
0.2300
0.2333
0.2367

255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
255255.2553
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703

Page | 11

72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112

7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.9
8
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
9
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.9
10
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
10.6
10.7
10.8
10.9
11
11.1
11.2

0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95

0.2400
0.2433
0.2467
0.2500
0.2533
0.2567
0.2600
0.2633
0.2667
0.2700
0.2733
0.2767
0.2800
0.2833
0.2867
0.2900
0.2933
0.2967
0.3000
0.3033
0.3067
0.3100
0.3133
0.3167
0.3200
0.3233
0.3267
0.3300
0.3333
0.3367
0.3400
0.3433
0.3467
0.3500
0.3533
0.3567
0.3600
0.3633
0.3667
0.3700
0.3733

270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
270270.2703
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853

Page | 12

113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129

11.3
11.4
11.5
11.6
11.7
11.8
11.9
12
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
12.5
12.6
12.7
12.8
12.9

0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.9
0.9
0.85
0.85
0.75
0.7
0

0.3767
0.3800
0.3833
0.3867
0.3900
0.3933
0.3967
0.4000
0.4033
0.4067
0.4100
0.4133
0.4167
0.4200
0.4233
0.4267
0.4300

285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
285285.2853
270270.2703
270270.2703
255255.2553
255255.2553
225225.2252
210210.2102
0

Table 1: Data

Page | 13

Load(kN) vs Extension(mm)
1
0.9
0.8
Load (kN)

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0

10

12

14

Extension (mm)

Figure 7: Load(kN) vs Extension(mm) graph

Stress(kPa) vs Strain
350000
300000

Stress (kPa)

250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

Strain
Figure 8: Stress vs strain graph

Page | 14

The actual characteristic of the materials sample:

The specimen used for this experiment is mild steel. The actual characteristic of the Mild

steel is the most common form of steel as its price is relatively low while it provides material
properties that are acceptable for many applications. Low carbon steel contains
approximately 0.050.15% carbon and mild steel contains 0.160.29% carbon, therefore it is
neither brittle nor ductile. Mild steel has a relatively low tensile strength, but it is cheap and
malleable surface hardness can be increased through carburizing. It is often used when large
amounts of steel is needed, for example as structural steel. The density of mild steel is
7,861.093 kg/m (0.284 lb/in), the tensile strength is a maximum of 500 MPa (73,000 psi)
and the Young's modulus is 210,000 MPa (30,000,000 psi).

Calculation of stress and strain:

Area = (width x thickness) = 3.14 x 1.06
= 3.33 x 10-6 m2

in

Page | 15

7.0 References
1. Ashby, M. (2006). Engineering Materials 1: An Introduction to Properties,
Applications and Design. 3rd ed. Butterworth-Heinemann
2. Hibbeler, R.C. (2004). Statics and Mechanics of Materials. Prentice Hall.
3. Tarr, M. (no date). Stress and its effect on Materials [online]. Available from
4. http://www.ami.ac.uk/courses/topics/0124_seom/index.html. [Accessed 29/03/14].
5. Van Vlack, L.H., Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering - 6th Edition,
Addison Wesley, 1989, p 8.
6. Smith,W.F., Principles of Materials Science and Engineering - 2nd Edition,
McGraw Hill, 1990, p 255.
7. Van Vlack, L.H., Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering - 6th Edition,
Addison Wesley, 1989, p 556.
8. Dewey, B. R., Introduction to Engineering Computing - 2nd Edition, McGrawHill, 1995, p 69.

Page | 16

8.0

Appendices

Page | 17