MCE 12L – Materials Science and Engineering for ME – Laboratory

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Activity No. 5
Flexural Strength Determination

I. Introduction
Flexural strength is the maximum flexural stress sustained by the test specimen during
a bending test. Some materials that do not break at strains of up to 5% give a load deflection
curve that shows a point at which the load does not increase with an increase in strain.

II. Objectives
To determine the flexural strength of a material

III. Test Methods

A test specimen of rectangular cross section shall be rested on two supports in a
flat- wise position. It shall be loaded by means of a loading nose located midway between the
supports. Unless testing certain laminated materials, a support span-to-depth ratio 16:1 shall be
used. Deflect the specimen until rupture occurs in the outer surface of the test specimen, or until
a maximum strain of 5.0% is reached, whichever comes first.
This procedure is designed for materials that break at comparatively small deflections
and shall be used for measurement of flexural properties, particularly flexural modulus, unless the
material specification states otherwise. It employs a strain rate of 0.01 mm/mm/min.
1. Measure the width and depth of the untested specimen to the nearest 0.03 mm at the
center of the support span. Determine the support span to be used and set the support
span to within 1% of the determined value.
2. Measure the span accurately to the nearest 0.1 mm for spans less than 63 mm and to
the nearest 0.3 mm for spans greater than or equal to 63 mm. Verify the span distance the
same as for adjustable spans at each machined position.
3. Calculate the rate of crosshead motion as follows and set the machine for the rate
of crosshead motion:
ZL2
R =
6d
Where: R = rate of crosshead motion in mm/min
L = support span in mm
d = depth of beam in mm
Z = rate of straining of the outer fiber in mm/mm/min (shall be equal to 0.01)
 4. Align the loading nose and supports so the axes of the cylindrical surfaces are parallel
and the loading nose is midway between the supports.
5. Apply the load to the specimen at the specified crosshead rate and record
simultaneous load-deflection data.
6. Measure deflection either by measurement of the motion of the loading nose relative to
the supports or by a deflection indicator.
7. Terminate the test when the maximum strain in the outer surface of the test specimen
has reached 0.05 mm/mm or at break if break occurs prior to reaching the maximum
strain. Calculate the deflection:
rL2
D =
6d
Where:
D = midspan deflection in mm
r = strain in mm/mm (let r = 0.05 mm/mm)
L = support span in mm
d = depth of beam in mm

IV. Calculation/s
Calculate the flexural stress using the equation:
3PL
S=
2bd2
Where:
S = stress in the outer fibers at midpoint in MPa
P = load at a given point on the load-deflection curve in N
L = support span in mm
b = width of beam tested in mm
d = depth of beam tested in mm

V. Discussion

1. Provide a typical curve of flexural stress versus flexural strain

 2. Provide a simple laboratory setup of flexural strength testing

3. Discuss electrical insulating materials

4. Discuss reinforced plastics

Basically, an insulating material or insulator contains a very small

amount of free electrons (charge carriers) and, hence, could not carry
electrical current. But, a perfect insulator does not exist, because even
insulators contain a small number of charge carriers which may carry leakage
current (negligibly small).An insulating material must have high resistivity
and high dielectric strength. Additional desirable properties of insulating
material depend on the type of applications. Insulating material used for
manufacturing insulated cables/wires must be flexible such as rubber or PVC.
On the other hand, insulator used to support overhead power lines must be
mechanically strong, such as porcelain or glass insulators.

Reinforced plastics are plastics whose characteristics have been enhanced

by adding other materials. For example, reinforced plastics are typically
sturdier and less affected by heat than normal plastics. Reinforced plastics are
used in various industries to produce different types of products. Two
common types are glass reinforced plastics (GRP) and carbon reinforced
plastics (CRP.)
 5. Discuss unreinforced plastics
.

6. Differentiate between 3-point and 4-point bend test.

The main difference between 3 point and 4 point bend tests is the area in
which the maximum bend stress occurs. In 3 point bend tests it is under the
loading
. nose while for 4 point bend tests it is distributed in a wider area
between the loading points. The 3 point test best applies when the material is
homogeneous such as in the case of plastic materials. A 4 point test tends to
be the best choice when the material is non-homogeneous such as some types
of composites. The stress concentration of a three point test is small and
concentrated under the center of the loading point, whereas the stress
concentration of a four point test is over a larger region
 7. Summarize the different apparatus to be used in flexural testing

Bend testing, sometimes called flexure testing or transverse beam testing,

measures the behavior of materials subjected to simple beam loading. It is
commonly performed on relatively flexible materials such as polymers,
wood, and composites. At its most basic level, a bend test is performed on a
universal testing machine by placing a specimen on two support anvils and
bending it through applied force on one or two loading anvils in order to
measure its properties.

VI. Conclusion

VII. References

https://www.scienceabc.com/innovation/what-is-the-stress-strain-curve.html
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Flexural-test-settings-for-the-four-
point-flexural-test-method-1-4-5-6_fig4_339501737
https://www.electricaleasy.com/2016/11/electrical-insulators.html?m=1
https://www.aboutmechanics.com/what-are-reinforced-plastics.htm
https://www.testresources.net/applications/test-types/flexural-test/