Title: Tensile tests on steel specimens

Author(s): Mauricio Bonatte, Joe Chalhoub, Manuel Hormazabal

Unit: SA4

Institution: UNIVERSITY OF MINHO

Date: October 17, 2019

Programme: ADVANCED MASTERS IN STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF MONUMENTS

AND HISTORICAL CONSTRUCTIONS

Consortium Institutions: UNIVERSITY OF MINHO, PORTUGAL

CZECH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

UNIVERSITY OF PADOVA, ITALY

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF CATALONIA, SPAIN

INSTITUTE OF THEORETICAL AND APPLIED MECHANICS, CZECH REPUBLIC

SA4 - Assignment 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 2

2. ISO 6892-1: METALLIC MATERIALS - TENSILE TESTING 2

2.1. Test setup 2

2.2. Testing process 2

2.3. specimen geometry 4

2.4 Parameters to register 5

2.4.1 Parameters to register before testing: 5

2.4.2 Parameters to register during testing: 6

2.4.3 Parameters to register after testing: 6

2.5. Test results report specification 7

3. TEST PERFORMED 8

3.1. Specimens geometry 8

3.2. Test Setup 10

3.3. Test loading protocol 10

3.4. Test Results 12

3.4.1. Specimen 1 13

3.4.2. Specimen 2 13

3.4.3. Specimen 3 14

3.4.4. Specimen 4 14

3.4.4. Specimen 5 14

3.4.4. Specimen 6 15

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1. INTRODUCTION

ISO 6892-1 is the international standard adapted to perform this tensile test of metallic
materials. The test involves straining a specimen by tensile force to reach fracture for
determination of mechanical properties. In this report we will present the analysis of
this standard, starting from test setup, testing process, samples geometry, parameters
registering, the results obtained and report. Afterwards, we will evaluate the results of
6 specimens that were tested according to the ISO 6892-1 and check if they follow all
the conditions stated in Part 1 of the report. It is important to note that this test is made
under room temperature conditions.

2. ISO 6892-1: METALLIC MATERIALS - TENSILE TESTING

2.1. Test setup

Once the testing loading train is assembled, the force measuring system must be set
to zero once it is calibrated, and before the specimen is gripped on both ends. Then,
we must grip the specimen and there are many methods depending on the used
machine (wedges, screwed grips, parallel jaw faces, etc.). Gripping is important to
obtain a successful test results because the force must be applied as axially as
possible to prevent bending which is especially bad to brittle materials. When the
sample is placed between the grips and clamped, then we are ready to start the test.

2.2. Testing process

The machine used must be able to generate sufficient force to fracture the specimen
and should also be able to apply force or displacement fast or slowly (speed is
important) and must be precise and accurate to measure the gauge length. The test
process involves placing the test specimen in the testing machine and slowly
elongating it until it fractures. During this process, the elongation of the gauge section
is recorded at the same time with the applied force.

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There are 2 methods to proceed in the testing, method A is based on strain rate control
which means the test is conducted in a way that the strain increases at a constant rate.
Method B is based on stress rate, constant force is applied. The machine performed
based on the estimated strain rate over the parallel length. In the case of the 6 tested
specimen method A has been used.

Figure 01: Methods A and B schematic representation.

Where:
e : Strain rate.
R : Stress rate.
t : Time progress of the tensile test.
tc : Crosshead control time.
tec : Extensometer control time or crosshead control time.
tel : Time range (elastic behavior) for determination of listed parameters.
tf : Time range (up to fracture) for determination of listed parameters.
tpl : Time range (plastic behavior) for determination of listed parameters.
1 : Range 1 (e = 0,00007 s−1, with a relative tolerance of ±20%).

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SA4 - Assignment 3

2 : Range 2 (e = 0,00025 s−1, with a relative tolerance of ±20%).

3 : Range 3 (e = 0,002 s−1, with a relative tolerance of ±20%).
4 : Range 4 (e = 0,0067 s−1, with a relative tolerance of ±20%).
To perform the test, the machine achieved it by controlling the crosshead separation
rate at a velocity equal to the desired strain rate multiplied by the parallel length. The
required estimated strain rate over the parallel length may be maintained in this range
sufficiently accurately using a constant crosshead separation rate 𝑉𝑐 .

𝑉𝑐 = 𝐿𝑐 ∙ 𝑒𝐿𝑐

The values of estimated strain rate over the parallel length, must follow the ranges
explicit in the Figure 01.

2.3. specimen geometry

The test specimens are generally constrained by the shape and dimensions of the
metallic product from which they are taken. The specimen is usually obtained by
creating a sample from the metallic product or casting. Products with uniform cross
sections don’t need to be machined. Specimen geometry must meet the relationship
𝐿0 = 𝑘 ∙ √𝑆0 ; between the gauge length (L0) and the cross-sectional area (S0), where
k is the coefficient of proportionality, preferably equal to 5,65 (L0 must be not less than
15 mm. In the case that the cross-sectional area of the test piece is too small, a higher
value preferably k = 11,3 may be used).

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SA4 - Assignment 3

Figure 02: Main types of test piece according to product type (Dimensions in millimeters).

2.4 Parameters to register

2.4.1 Parameters to register before testing:

Figure 03: Diagram of data to register before testing.

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SA4 - Assignment 3

a0 : Original thickness of test piece.

bo : Original width of the parallel length of a flat test piece.

Lc : Parallel length.

Lo : Original gauge length.

Lt : Total length of test piece.

So : Original cross-sectional area of the parallel length.

1 : Gripped ends.

2.4.2 Parameters to register during testing:

F : Tension applied to the test piece registered every Ts.

D : Reference displacement.

Dg : Gauge displacement.

T : Test duration.

2.4.3 Parameters to register after testing:

Figure 04: Diagram of data to register after testing.

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SA4 - Assignment 3

Lu : Final gauge length after fracture.

2.5. Test results report specification

Test report shall contain at least the following information (unless otherwise agreed by
the parties concerned):

A) ISO standard reference extended with the test condition information:

ISO 6892 XYYY

Where:
X: Type of test (A for strain rate control, B for stress rate control).
Y: Rates used during each phase of the test.

B) Test piece identification.

C) Material characteristics and specifications.

D) Type of test specimen.

E) Location and direction of sampling of test pieces.

F) Testing mode:

G) Test results.

G.1 - Strength values in megapascals.

Tensile Strength Rm.
Yield Strength.
Upper Yield Strength ReH.
Lower Yield Strength ReL
Proof Strength, plastic extension Rp.

G.2 - Percentage yield point extension values “Ae”.

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SA4 - Assignment 3

G.3 - All other percentage extension and elongation values.

Total extension AgT
Plastic extension Ag.
Total extension At.

G.4 - Percentage reduction of area “Z”.

Calculate the percentage reduction of area, Z (All values rounded
to the nearest 0,1%).

Where:
So: Original cross-sectional area of the parallel length.
Su: Minimum cross-sectional area after fracture.

3. TEST PERFORMED

3.1. Specimens geometry

Figure 05: Specimens prototyped dimensions.

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SA4 - Assignment 3

The specimens are considered having a relatively small cross-sectional area which
means that the value of the coefficient of proportionality is preferably equal to 11.3 as
the standard states.

Table 01: Specimens final dimensions.

Table 02: Specimens mechanical characteristics.

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SA4 - Assignment 3

From Table 07, we can see that all the specimens have a k value close to 11.3 and
especially the first three specimens. It is hard to obtain the exact value because we
might have errors during the manufacturing of the test pieces.

3.2. Test Setup

The exact test setup and specimens’ position of sampling is unknow by the authors of
this report, because only the test results were delivered. Although, authors assumed
that all the test where performed fulfilling the standard requirements.

3.3. Test loading protocol

The machine is based on strain rate control which means the test is conducted in a
way that the strain increases at a constant rate and the machine performed based on
the estimated strain rate over the parallel length. In the next graphs is shown the
velocities performed during the test. For the first specimen, the graph displacement vs
time is:

Figure 06: First specimen displacement vs time plot.

The test was performed with three different velocities during the test.

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SA4 - Assignment 3

Figure 07: First specimen velocity 1. Figure 08: First specimen velocity 2.

Figure 09: First specimen velocity 3.

For the other specimens, the tests were performed using the same procedure. The
graph for their displacement x time is presented:

Figure 10: Other specimen displacement vs time plot.

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SA4 - Assignment 3

We have two different velocities during the test.

Figure 11: Velocity 1. Figure 12: Velocity 2

Following the standard, the velocity should be in the range:

The test did not follow velocity requirements established by standard ISO 6892-1.

3.4. Test Results

The specimens can be divided in two groups. Results were identical from the point of
view of the shape for the specimens in each group. If we plot Force versus
Displacement we can see that all the specimens 1, 2 and 3 yields at the same
approximate force of 33KN, and for the specimens 4, 5 and 6 yields until the 25KN of
force. This difference is probably due to geometry and dimensions. First three
specimens comes from the same original metal piece and have really close dimensions
between each other. The same for specimens 4, 5, and 6. The Young’s modulus of the
specimens were calculated by cutting a part of the linear behavior. The slope of the
graph is the Young’s modulus.

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Table 03: Results table.

3.4.1. Specimen 1

Figure 13: Force vs Displacement. Figure 14: Displacement vs time…

3.4.2. Specimen 2

Figure 15: Force vs Displacement. Figure 16: Displacement vs time…

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SA4 - Assignment 3

3.4.3. Specimen 3

Figure 17: Force vs Displacement. Figure 18: Displacement vs time…

3.4.4. Specimen 4

Figure 19: Force vs Displacement. Figure 20: Displacement vs time…

3.4.4. Specimen 5

Figure 21: Force vs Displacement. Figure 22: Displacement vs time…

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3.4.4. Specimen 6

Figure 23: Force vs Displacement. Figure 24: Displacement vs time…

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