Tinotenda Mutami | CUPE 127 |

Mechanical Testing
OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS

Tinotenda Mutami
C15125642D
BEMC
CUPE127

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................. 2
Experiment 1 : Tensile Testing......................................................................................2
Experiment 2: Impact toughness testing.....................................................................2
Experiment 3: Creep testing........................................................................................3
Experiment 4: Torsional strain testing..........................................................................3
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 3

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Introduction
Several properties of engineering materials were tested and determined
using different methods of testing and analysis. The results obtained from the
experiment were different from the theoretical, expected values, but within
experimental error since they were consistent. These properties play a very
important role in material selection and to determine some of these several
properties of engineering materials four experiments were.

Experiment 1 : Tensile Testing

This experiment was done to determine five major tensile properties of a
normalized EN8 steel specimen and an aluminum specimen. These properties
are namely tensile and yield strength, modulus of elasticity, percentage
elongation and reduction in area of fracture. These properties play a major
role in material selection for engineering purposes. A Hounsfield tensometer,
Vernier calipers and a micrometer screw gauge a normalized EN8 steel
specimen and an aluminum specimen were used to exert tension and record
measurements and dimensions respectively. As tension was increased
constantly with time, a graph of tensional force against elongation or
extension was reproduced by use of the chart recorder until the specimen
fractured. These observations allowed us to determine the average values of
the tensile properties of each of the specimens since they both fractured at
different tensional forces.

Experiment 2: Impact toughness testing

In this experiment the main objective was to determine the impact toughness
energy of a v-notched normalized EN8 steel specimen. Impact toughness
refers to the ability of a material to permanently deform while absorbing
energy before fracturing especially when the stress is applied rapidly. The
notch that was used was 4mm deep and at an angle of 45 degrees. This test
also aids in material selection to reduce material failure, either brittle or
ductile failure. The results of the experiment led to the conclusion that brittle
materials take little energy to initiate a crack and a bit more energy to
propagate the crack to a fracturing or shattering climax and also that mild
steel is brittle as compared to aluminum which is a little bit more ductile.

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Experiment 3: Creep testing

This is done by exerting a constant load to a plastic specimen and observing
the extension with time. Creep is the tendency of a solid material to move
slowly or deform permanently under the influence of mechanical stresses. It
can occur as a result of long-term exposure to high levels of stress that are
below the yield strength of the material The obtained results were explained
using the dislocation theories since they show that creep occurs in three main
stages which are; Transient creep, quasi-viscous creep and tertiary creep. In
the transient creep mode extension increases at a reducing rate and in quasiviscous mode the extension increases at a constant rate. When selecting an
engineering material, it is important to consider the properties of the desired
engineering material such that when it is in use it will never reach the tertiary
creep which is the point when the material necks and rate of extension
increases until the point at which the material reaches failure and breaks.
Since quasi-viscous creep is constant, it is therefore the factor which should
be taken into consideration the most when selecting an engineering material
since it plays a major role of determining the life span of a material in use.

Experiment 4: Torsional strain testing

The aim of this experiment was to measure and determine the stress-strain
relationship between materials undergoing shear stress. To carry out the
experiment, a Tecquipment torsion testing machine, torsiometer, mild steel
specimen, steel rule and a micrometer screw-gauge were used. The steel
specimen is held on both ends on the torsion testing machine before it is
adjusted to apply torsional strain on the specimen. Angle of twist, number of
revolutions of twist and torsional force are recorded. The results obtained
showed that materials that are more ductile tend to resist torsional failure as
compared to brittle materials. The test also allowed us to determine the
rigidness of a material, where rigidness is the ability of a material to resist
bending forces to a certain degree. Rigid materials usually do not deform
much under stress but eventually break when subdued to a high enough
stress or strain.

Conclusion
Over and above an appreciation of engineering materials has been generally
shown and the importance of material selection in engineering is also of great
importance in reduction of catastrophic failures and setbacks.

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