Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

Objectives:

The objective of a tension test is to determine the stress-strain diagram governing

the behavior of the material from which the mechanical properties of the material
under test can be extracted. These properties are mainly represented by the
modulus of elasticity E, percentage of elongation, moduli of resilience and
toughness, yielding, ultimate and fracture or rupture strengths.

Definition
A testing machine is used to stretch the specimen at a slow, constant rate until it
reaches the breaking point. The machine is designed to read the load required to
maintain this uniform stretching. To perform the tension test, a specimen of the
material is made into a standard shape and size. At frequent intervals during the test,
data is recorded of the applied load P, as read or taken from a digital read out. Also
the elongation of the gauge length L-L 0 can be measured.

Engineering Stress
Using the recorded data, one can determine the engineering stress by dividing the
applied load P by the specimen’s original cross-sectional area A 0 . This calculation
assumes that the stress is constant over the cross section and throughout the region
between the gauge points.
P
σ=
A0
Engineering Strain
The engineering strain is found directly from the strain gauge reading or by dividing
the change δ in the specimen’s gauge length by the specimen’s original gauge length
L 0 . Here the strain is assumed to be constant throughout.

δ L − L0
ε= =
L0 L0
If the corresponding values of σ and ε are plotted as a graph, for which the ordinate is
the stress and the abscissa is the strain, the resulting curve is called a conventional
or engineering stress-strain diagram.

Page 1 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

Machine Preparation:

1. Remove the lower plate (Fig. 1) by unscrewing the screw that fix the plate to the
mobile cross bar.

Figure 1: Unscrewing the screw of the plate Figure 2: The cross bar with the plate removed

2. Mount the lower support of grips on the lower bar, by screwing the relevant
screws into the cross bar (Fig. 3). The pin hole must be at the center and turned
towards the operator.

Figure 3: Mounting the lower support of grips Figure 4: The lower support of grips with the
pin

Page 2 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

3. Screw the fixing plate, the load cell and the device to fix the upper tensile head to
the frame, on the upper cross bar (Fig. 6). The central screw must be screwed.

Figure 5: Central screw Figure 6: Fixing the load cell

4. Fix the upper and the lower grips on the devices previously assembled on the
machine, using the appropriated pins (Fig. 8).

Figure 7: load cell

WARNING:
In order to perform the tensile test
correctly, it is very important that the tensile
heads are perfectly aligned, and that the upper
tensile head is aligned with the machine axis.
Figure 8: Fixing the upper and the lower
grips

Page 3 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

To perform a tensile test, the stroke of the
lower cross bar goes from the top to the
bottom (downwards). Before starting each
test it is necessary to position the lower cross
bar almost at the limit of its rising stroke, as
shown in the Fig. 9.
This operation is very important when testing
very elastic or deformable materials.
In order to complete the test successfully, the
lower cross bar will move downwards run of
about 100mm.
Figure 9: Positioning the lower cross bar at
the limit of its rising stroke
WARNING:
When performing a tensile test, the
load cell must have a maximum capacity of
25 kN. If the load capacity is higher than 25
kN, the compression frame could be
damaged seriously and irreparably.

WARNING:
The pin hole must be at the center and
turned towards the operator.
Fasten the lock nuts to avoid the rotation of
the load cell during the screwing of the
tensile head.
In order to perform a tensile test, it is
necessary to assemble the appropriate
accessories on the load cell, as shown in the
Figure 10.
If the load cell is used not only for tensile
test, but even for others applications, every
time it is necessary to remove the
accessories previously assembled, and then
assemble the ones required by the test to be
performed.
It is recommended to assemble all the parts
on the bench, and then to position them on Figure 10: Assembling the appropriate
the compression machine. accessories on the load cell
Page 4 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

Test Setting:
Parameters:
1) Test description:
Alphanumeric value; it is a description
saved along with test results.
Press it to
2) Gradient: perform the
tensile test
The gradient of the test execution
could be one of the following types:
Load, Pressure, or Displacement.
Figure 11: First Screen

Test description

Gradient

Test end conditions

Stop Load

Area of initial cross

section

Figure 12: Test Parameters

Gradient Unit of Unit of

Measurement Measurement
(metric system) (U.S.)

Load kN/sec Lb/sec

Pressure MPa/sec Psi/sec

Displacement Mm/min In/min

Page 5 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

3) Test end conditions:

The test end conditions are as follows:
Breaking, Load threshold achievement,
or Deformation threshold achievement.

Figure 13: Test End Condition

a. Breaking
The specimen break detected in
correspondence to a load downfall
(expressed as percentage of loss
compared with the maximum detected
value).

Figure 14: Test End Condition-Breaking

b. Load threshold achievement:

The test stops when the load threshold
has reached.

Figure 15: Test End Condition-Load

threshold achievement

Page 6 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

c. Deformation threshold achievement:

The test stops when the deformation
threshold has reached.

Figure 16: Test End Condition- Deformation

threshold achievement

Add to the file Display file of

of Specimens Specimens

4) Area
Area of the initial cross section of the
specimen for the load-pressure
conversion: Pressing the AREA icon, will
display a new screen (Fig.17).

Figure 17: The AREA Screen

Parameters of the AREA screen:

Parameters Values
Type Type of specimen
Diameter Diameter of the specimen cross section
Original length (Lo) Initial length between the references
Gage length (Le) Extensometer base length
Calibration length (Lc) Length of the calibrated part.
Area Area of the specimen initial cross section (automatically
calculated from the diameter or entered manually by the
operator).

Page 7 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

Commands:

1. To activate the screen with the

advanced setting parameters.

Figure 18: Advanced setting parameters

Parameters: screen
Parameters Values
Start load It checks the specimen break only after the load threshold has been
overcome, in order to avoid interruptions caused by oscillations.
Step increment Increase of the pace rate given by the apposite button.
This function can be activated only during the elongation phase

2. To associate the machine functions

with the available transducers

Figure 19: Screen of Association machine

a. Profile configuration: functions with the available transducers

Figure 20: Screen of Profile configuration

Page 8 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

b. Analog channels calibration:

Activation of the
deformation measurement

c. To activate the test execution with

the set parameters.
Figure 21: Analog channels calibration

d. To close the test execution

screen.

Test execution:
During the test execution, the progress can be visualized by means of one of two
screens: Numeric visualization, or Graphic visualization.
1. Numeric visualization:

Figure 22: Numeric visualization when

executing a test

Page 9 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

2. Graphic visualization:
Figure 23 shows the graphic display.

Extensometer disabled:
If is required to remove the extensometer
during the test execution and before the
overcome of the elongation maximum
threshold, press the appropriate button
(Fig. 24):
Figure 23: Load-elongation graphic display

The elongation will remain fixed at (0), and the extensometer can be removed without
recording values not in compliance with the ones requested by the Standard.

Figure 24: disabling the extensometer

Pace rate manual command:

When using a servo-controlled testing
machine, this function allows to increase
the pace rate during the elongation phase
in order to avoid delays and waste of time.

Test stop:
Figure 25: Pace rate command
Touch or press to stop the test execution.

To stop the machine during a critical phase, press the red

emergency button placed above the control unit. Figure 26: Emergency Stop

Page 10 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

Test results:
At the end of the test execution, the results can be visualized by means of two
screens:
1. Numeric visualization.
2. Graphic visualization.

Cause of the test end Graphic visualization

Figure 27: Test results numeric visualization

IMPORTANT! The test results are visualized along with the cause that has led to the
test end (specimen breaking, alarm, manual interruption, remote interruption).

Load/elongation Results
Graphic visualization
visualization

Calculus
parameters

Print or save
the test

Exit

Figure 28: Test results graphic visualization

Page 11 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

Test results printing and storage:
To save the test results on a USB, insert the USB drive in the USB port and press the left icon shown in figure
(29).

To print the results

To save the test with a printer
results on SD- connected to the unit
Card or a USB- by USB port (PCL
compatible)

To print the results

with the thermic

Figure 29: Test results printing and storage

To close the screen of the test results printing and storage.

When the test data have sent to the printer on thermic-paper, a report has produced
such as the one shown in the figure 31:

Page 12 of 13
 Laboratory Mechanics of Materials Lab -MENG 360L

Experiment M1 MATEST-S205-05N

TENSILE TEST FROM POSITION

Test results printing and storage:
To save the test results on a USB, insert the USB drive in the USB port and press the left icon shown in figure
(29).

To print the results

To save the test with a printer
results on SD- connected to the unit
Card or a USB- by USB port (PCL
compatible)

To print the results

with the thermic

Figure 29: Test results printing and storage

To close the screen of the test results printing and storage.

When the test data have sent to the printer on thermic-paper, a report has produced
such as the one shown in the figure 31:
Recorded Data
The recorded data offered by the test are:
1. The applied forces
2. The displacement of the specimen (Position)

What to Do, Treatment of Data

1. Determine the stresses and the strains using the force and position data recorded by
the machine.
2. Plot the stress-strain diagram.
3. Interpret the stress-strain diagram.
4. Determine the mechanical properties of the material and comment them:
a. Modulus of elasticity.
b. Ultimate strength.
c. Fracture or rupture strength.
d. Modulus of resilience.
e. Modulus of toughness.
5. Determine the percent of elongation at failure.
6. Conclude.

Page 13 of 13