BANGLADESH UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING

AND TECHNOLOGY
COURSE NO: MME 292
COURSE TITLE: METALLIC MATERIALS SESSIONAL

SUBMITTED BY:
MD.FAZLA RABBI JIM ISLAM
STUDENT ID: 1810167
DEPARTMENT: ME
SECTION: C2

SUBMITTED TO:
ASHIKUZZAMAN AYON
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
DEPARTMENT OF MME,
BUET

Date of Submission:21 January,2022

Question#1: In your opinion, what are the limitations of
hardness test?
Answer:
Hardness is a characteristic of a material which is defined as the resistance to
indentation. It is determined by measuring the permanent depth of the indentation.
Rockwell testing, Brinell hardness test, Poldi hardness test, Vickers hardness test
are some methods for measuring hardness. In our experiment we used Rockwell
hardness testing method. In this method, the hardness of a material is measured by
the indentation using another material. This test is generally easier to perform. But
it has some limitation. According to me some limitations are given bellow:
 No Permanent Scales: In this method, a comparative scale is used for
different materials for different level of hardness. So, for beginners, without
previous experience, this method is relatively tough to determine the scale
for new specimen.

 Range of scales: For each scale, hardness may range up to 130;

however, as hardness values rise above 100 or drop below 20 on any scale,
they become inaccurate; and because the scales have some overlap, in such a
situation it is best to utilize the next harder or softer scale.

 Properties of the Specimen: In this method, we cannot measure

hardness of any kind specimen. The surface of the specimen has to be
completely filled and mustn’t be convex, unless there will be an error. The
specimen hast be pure and the thickness should be ten times than the
indentation
From above condition, we can understand that we cannot test any specimen,
especially thick and impure specimen.

 Method of experiment: We cannot can indentation at nay point of

the specimen (like at the edge). We have to make indentation at center and
gap between two indentations has to significant enough to avoid error. So,
our specimen has to be big enough to take several readings. We cannot use
small specimen in this method.
  Relation with other properties: There is no unit in the result. It just
gives a number. We need to know the measurement of the scale to use this
number for purpose. So, it is hard to make direct relationship with other
properties from this value.
At last, due to different scale and had condition on specimen, the experiment
become tough beginners. I think this is the main limitation of this method.

Question#2: Why is different hardness scale used for different

materials?
Answer:
Hardness is a characteristic of a material which is defined as the resistance to
indentation. Every material has its own micro structure and so its mechanical
properties and characteristics (like: Young’s Modulus, Impact force, hardness) are
unique. Since there exists a lot of different materials with different micro structure
and hardness, different scales are required for proper measurement in Rockwell
hardness test and thus different scales are used practically.

In hardness test we just get a number by measuring indentation. From limitation,

we know that in Rockwell hardness test, it is not possible for the machine to
determine hardness of any material with same scale. As a result, we need to use
different scales such as HRC, HRA etc. HRC is used for the materials who have
more hardness than in the scale of HRA scale. For example, in our experiment we
used aluminum and mild steel specimen. Mild steal is lot harder than aluminum So
used HRA scale for mild steel and HRC for aluminum. If we use very hard
material in HRA scale, the indentation will not be appropriate. Moreover, the value
of the hardness will be very irregular and out of range. Similarly, a soft material in
HRC scale will give value below the range.
So, it is clear that one cannot measure hardness of all materials by using same
scale. The scale must be appropriate. That’s why, different hardness scale is used
for different material in hardness test.
Question#3: Why do some metals become brittle at cold
temperatures?
Answer:
Ductility is property of a material and for some materials this property changes
with the change of temperature. Some ductile metals become brittle at cold
temperature. This phenomenon is known as “Ductile to Brittle Transition (DBTT)”
and the temperature is known as “Transition temperature”. Due to some change in
microstructure, this phenomenon occurs in some metals. We know that the
ductility of a material depends on the mobile defects that propagate throughout the
Structure. If we decrease temperature of a metal, atoms in the crystal structure of
the metal become less mobile and less vibrating. As a result, the defects caused by
stress also lose mobility. Thus, crack generates in structure due to lack of mobility
which results in brittleness, and thus the metal becomes brittle at low temperatures.

The transition temperatures depend on many things. For example, alloying increase
the transition temperature. The crystal structure of the metal also impacts on the
transition temperature. Metals with body centered structure become brittle at lower
temperature whereas metals face centered structure remain ductile in this
temperature.

Figure: Ductile to Brittle Transition Temperature occurring in metals with different crystal structures
Question#4: How can you identify the fracture mode of the
specimens?
Answer:
In our Tensile test experiment, we observed fracture of a ductile material.
According to the fracture propagation and fracture surface, facture mode can be
two types. The two types can be identified as given below:
 Cup and Cone Fracture: Generally ductile materials undergo this
type of fracture. Due to this fracture one side of the part becomes concave
and the other side of the part becomes convex. Due to this, the name “Cup
and Cone” is originated.

The ductile materials undergo significant plastic deformation and absorb

large amount of energy before failure. The usual mechanism of plastic
deformation is slip, one part of crystal slides over another part separated by a
slip plane. Slip requires shearing stress on slip plane in slip direction. Thus,
this type of failure occurs due to slip and the surface become cup and cone
shape.

Figure: Cup and cone fracture

 Brittle Fracture: Due to this fracture, the surfaces where the fracture
takes place are planar and usually normal to the applied stress. The surface is
usually rough though it looks like smooth plane.

The brittle materials generally don’t undergo significant plastic deformation

and absorb less energy before failure. The crack propagates rapidly by
 breaking the bonds between the atoms due to tensile stress along the bonds.
So, the fracture become smooth.

Figure: Brittle fracture

The figure of facture surfaces of these two types are given below. Thus, we can
easily find out the mode of fracture.

Question#5: What general information are obtained from tensile

test regarding the properties of the material?

Answer:
From tensile test, we got different values of stress for different strain. By plotting
those points, we will get a stress-strain curve from this curve we get many
information about the properties of the specimen. Some properties are given
below:

 Proportionality limit and elastic limit: The point in the stress-strain

diagram up to which the curve remains linear or stress in proportional to
 strain, the region is called a proportional limit. And to which the curve
remain elastic, is known as elastic limit
 Yield point and Yield strength: The point in the stress- strain
diagram at which there is an increase in strain with no further increase in
stress is called the yield point and the corresponding stress is known as yield
strength. From this point, plastic deformation starts.
 Ultimate Tensile Strength: The highest point in stress-strain curve
where maximum occurs.
 Breaking Strength or Modulus of resilience: the corresponding
stress of a point in stress-strain diagram where the specimen fails.
 Modulus of Elasticity or Young’s Modulus: Below the proportional
limit, stress is proportional to strain and the slope of the curve in this part in
constant. This proportionality constant is called the modulus of elasticity.
 Ductility and toughness: The ductile materials undergo significant
plastic deformation. So, their curve is large enough and we can identify yield
and breaking point separately in this curve. But for brittle materials plastic
deformation is small and so their curve is different. Thus, we can identify
brittle and ductile materials by seeing curves.
A curve is given below by identifying these properties:

Figure: Stress-Strain curve

Again, by observing the fracture surface we can determine the ductility.These
information we get from tensile test.

Question#6: Both yield strength and ultimate tensile strength

exhibit the ability of a material to withstand a certain level of
load.Which parameter do you prefer to use as a design
parameter for a proper selection of materials for structural
applications? Explain.

Answer:

I would prefer yield strength over ultimate strength as a design parameter for a
proper selection of materials for structural applications. In short, yield strength is
the maximum stress a material can endure beyond which it begins to permanently
deform (not able to return to its original dimensions). Whereas, ultimate strength is
the maximum tensile stress beyond which a material fails and breaks.
In structural applications, it is desired that the structure must not deform in a
way which cannot be inverted. Because, it would cause a significant change in the
shape of the structure which is not desirable. So, we need to know the elastic limit
of the material and the maximum amount of load needed to deform the structure so
that we can predict the strength of the material. Thus, yield strength gives us
proper information about the elastic limit and strength of the materials.
On the other hand, where elasticity and permanent deformation are not so
important, yet strength is important, we can use ultimate strength as a parameter.
Generally, for brittle materials we use this parameter. It is practically rare that
structures are designed in a way that the trait of plasticity is desirable. Therefore,
for designing of structures, I would choose yield strength over universal strength.

Question#7: You need to prepare a sample to reveal its

microstructure. How will you prepare the sample based on your
own experience of MME 292 sessional?

Answer:

Based on the experience of MME 292 sessional, I will use the following steps to
prepare a sample to reveal its microstructure:
 Steps

Determination of hardness: Different machines are used for sectioning different

materials according to their hardness.So we need to determine hardness of the specimen.

Sectioning: Then the specimen is sectioned to a prefarable size for grinding.

Rough Grinding: The irragular sufaces can cause problem during fine grinding.So,
these surfaces are removed by machine to make smooth surfaces during this process.

Mounting: This process help us to protect the edges

Fine Grinding: Coarrse to Fine Emery papers(120-150 grit) are used for fine
grinding.By this process, we can decrease the Coarseness of the surface.This process is
done in a certain direction to make the surface perfactly smooth and fine.

Polishing: To make the surface fully smooth and scratch free ,we used Aluminium
Oxide powder as polisher.

Etching: This is the final step to remove all the defects from the smaple so that we
can observe the microstarture of the specimen clearly.

Microscopy: With the help of a metallographic microscope,we can observe,analysis

and record the microstracture of the specimen.

By following these steps, I will prepare the sample.