Stress and Strain Lab

Objective
The purpose of this lab was to test steel, brass, plastic, and aluminum based on tension and to
compare the stress and strain curves to the materials tested.
Method
First the diameter of each material was recorded three times and an average was calculated.
Then a material was placed in the Instron machine and the extensometer was attached. The
machine was then turned on, a force was applied, and data was recorded using the DAQ
software.
Results
Table 1: Force and Deformation of Steel, Brass, Plastic, and Aluminum
Steel

Brass

Plastic

Aluminum

Force

Deformation

Force

Deformation

Force

Deformation

Force

Deformation

(lb)

(in)

(lb)

(in)

(lb)

(in)

(lb)

(in)

30.8

0.000

8.3

0.000

7.6

0.003

21.5

0.000

130.1

0.001

105.3

0.001

17.3

0.006

116.5

0.001

357.0

0.002

291.2

0.003

26.8

0.009

247.8

0.003

512.0

0.003

472.9

0.005

36.1

0.012

302.2

0.004

653.1

0.003

611.3

0.006

44.9

0.015

407.7

0.006

814.4

0.005

712.3

0.009

52.3

0.018

506.1

0.008

995.4

0.006

771.5

0.012

59.7

0.020

550.4

0.012

1189.9

0.007

804.2

0.016

66.6

0.023

570.7

0.016

1358.9

0.009

822.7

0.020

74.5

0.026

583.6

0.021

1461.7

0.012

833.3

0.024

80.9

0.029

593.2

0.025

1518.9

0.015

840.2

0.029

86.7

0.032

600.1

0.030

1554.1

0.019

844.1

0.033

92.9

0.035

606.5

0.034

1577.4

0.024

848.2

0.038

98.3

0.037

613.1

0.039

1592.6

0.028

851.6

0.042

103.4

0.040

619.1

0.043

1603.3

0.033

853.2

0.046

108.2

0.043

624.7

0.048

1611.7

0.038

855.6

0.051

112.6

0.046

630.0

0.052

1617.0

0.043

857.9

0.055

116.6

0.049

634.4

0.056

1621.2

0.048

860.2

0.059

120.2

0.052

639.7

0.061

1623.9

0.053

863.0

0.064

122.6

0.056

644.2

0.065

1626.1

0.059

863.8

0.068

125.3

0.059

649.3

0.069

1626.8

0.064

865.5

0.071

126.8

0.062

653.2

0.074

1626.8

0.070

866.9

0.075

91.8

0.036

656.9

0.078

1625.9

0.077

869.1

0.079

660.8

0.082

1622.7

0.084

870.3

0.083

664.6

0.086

1610.8

0.092

871.8

0.087

668.4

0.090

1559.7

0.102

872.9

0.092

671.3

0.094

1462.5

0.113

875.0

0.096

675.3

0.098

1332.5

0.124

875.4

0.100

678.5

0.102

760.8

0.130

877.1

0.104

682.2

0.106

14.5

0.105

877.6

0.109

684.4

0.110

Calculations

Example

Example

Table 3: Calculated Stress and Strain of Steel, Brass, Plastic, and Aluminum
Steel

Brass

Plastic

Aluminum

Stress

Strain

Stress

Strain

Stress

Strain

Stress

Strain

2513.2

0.000

680.2

0.000

594.4

0.002

1755.3

0.000

10604.2

0.001

8582.3

0.001

1344.0

0.003

9491.5

0.001

29089.1

0.001

23727.4

0.002

2081.3

0.005

20192.0

0.002

41722.7

0.002

38536.0

0.003

2803.8

0.006

24622.8

0.002

53218.6

0.002

49812.4

0.003

3485.4

0.008

33223.6

0.003

66363.6

0.003

58047.3

0.005

4061.9

0.009

41237.3

0.004

81113.1

0.003

62869.4

0.006

4638.3

0.010

44852.3

0.006

96962.8

0.004

65535.6

0.008

5178.5

0.012

46507.7

0.008

110733.2

0.005

67038.9

0.010

5787.5

0.013

47559.0

0.011

119111.8

0.006

67902.7

0.012

6289.8

0.015

48340.1

0.013

123770.1

0.008

68466.4

0.015

6741.3

0.016

48901.6

0.015

126636.1

0.010

68784.2

0.017

7222.1

0.018

49421.4

0.017

128534.6

0.012

69118.5

0.019

7642.2

0.019

49961.4

0.020

129776.1

0.014

69398.0

0.021

8034.4

0.020

50447.0

0.022

130646.7

0.017

69523.8

0.023

8409.2

0.022

50906.9

0.024

131329.6

0.019

69718.5

0.026

8753.0

0.023

51339.1

0.026

131764.9

0.022

69906.2

0.028

9063.4

0.025

51697.8

0.028

132107.5

0.024

70095.1

0.030

9337.2

0.026

52128.2

0.031

132323.6

0.027

70322.0

0.032

9526.2

0.028

52493.1

0.033

132508.9

0.030

70391.7

0.034

9737.9

0.030

52912.8

0.035

132566.9

0.032

70528.1

0.036

9854.3

0.031

53228.5

0.037

132564.2

0.035

70638.2

0.038

7134.5

0.018

53530.4

0.039

132488.1

0.039

70821.3

0.040

-193.4

0.177

53844.3

0.041

132228.7

0.042

70918.2

0.042

-190.9

0.020

54157.4

0.043

131261.6

0.046

71039.2

0.044

-242.5

0.033

54462.6

0.045

127094.6

0.051

71128.8

0.046

-252.6

-0.100

54701.4

0.047

119178.1

0.057

71297.9

0.048

-193.7

-0.026

55030.3

0.049

108582.4

0.062

71332.8

0.050

-178.0

0.039

55287.1

0.051

61995.6

0.065

71471.9

0.052

-176.0

0.146

55592.3

0.053

1182.1

0.053

71516.1

0.055

-169.3

-0.047

55768.8

0.055

Figure 1: Stress Vs. Strain Curve for Steel

Steel
Tensile Stress

160000

E = 2.661E+07psi

Failure stress

140000
Stress (lb/in^2)

120000

0.2% offfset Yeild =121000 psi

100000
80000

Series1

60000

40000

Linear (.2% Offset)

20000
0
0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

Strain (in/in)

Figure 2: Stress Vs. Strain Curve for Plastic

0.06

0.07

Plastic

Failure stress/Tensile stress

12000
10000
Stress (lb/in^2)

0.2% offfset Yeild =8000 psi

8000
E = 441386 psi
6000
Series1
4000
E
2000

Linear (0.2% Offset)

0
0

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.025

0.03

0.035

Strain (in/in)

Figure 3: Stress Vs. Strain Curve for Brass

Brass

80000

Failure stress/Tensile stress

E = 1.087E+07psi

70000

Stress (lb/in^2)

60000

0.2% offfset Yeild =65000 psi

50000
40000
30000

Series1
E
Linear (0.2% Offset)

20000
10000
0
-10000

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

Strain (in/in)

Figure 3: Stress Vs. Strain Curve for Aluminum

0.08

0.09

Aluminum

Tensile stress

70000
60000

Failure stress
E = 9.67E+06 psi

Stress (lb/in^2)

50000

0.2% offfset Yeild =45000 psi

40000

Series1

30000
E
20000
Linear (.2
Offset)

10000
0
-10000

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

Strain (in/in)

The stress and strain diagrams all have similar characteristics. Every diagram in the beginning has a
steep slope, which decreases until the slope becomes negative. All the diagrams also end at zero stress.

Table 3: Experimental and Actual Youngs Modulus Values

Experimental (ksi)

Actual (ksi)

Percent Error %

Steel

26600

28000

5.3

Brass

10870

15000

38.0

Plastic

441.386

500

13.3

Aluminum

9670

10300

6.5

Table 4: Experimental and Actual Yield Stress

0.2% Offset Yield (ksi)

Actual(ksi)

Percent Error %

Steel

121

110

9.1

Brass

65

70

7.7

Plastic

12.5

Aluminum

45

40

11.1

The yield stress and Youngs modulus were found using the strain stress diagrams. The
experimental and actual values of Youngs modulus are list in Table 3. The literature values of
Youngs modulus are by Riley in Appendix B-17 of Mechanics of Materials published by Wiley.
When comparing the experimental values to the actual values most of the percent differences
are low except for Brass.
The literature values of yield stress listed in Table 4 are by John Symonds in Mechanical
Properties of Materials. The percent differences between the experimental and actual are low.
Based on the results the values obtained from the experiment are accurate.
Based on the yield stress values obtained during this experiment steel is the most ductile,
followed by brass, aluminum, and the least ductile is plastic. Based on Youngs modulus steel is
the most stiff, followed by brass, aluminum, and plastic.