Bending test for steel

Bending test - The bend test is a simple and inexpensive qualitative test that can be used to evaluate
both the ductility and soundness of a material. It is often used as a quality control test for butt-welded
joints, having the advantage of simplicity of both test piece and equipment.

For example…

Bending test of steel bars

Apparatus:

UTM, test specimen, bending table support pin.

UTM - (A universal testing machine (UTM), also known as a universal tester,materials testing machine or
materials test frame, is used to test the tensile strength and compressive strength of materials. An
earlier name for a tensile testing machine is a tensometer. The "universal" part of the name reflects that
it can perform many standard tensile and compression tests on materials, components, and structures
(in other words, that it is versatile).

Theory:

A bending test is a method for measuring stiffness and yield properties of certain materials. Bending
tests for ductility provide a simple way to evaluate the quality of materials by their ability to resist
cracking or other surface irregularities during one continuous bend. In certain cases the bending test can
determine tensile strength.

Procedure:

1.Take a test specimen of the steel rod.

2. Measure the diameter of the steel rod. Take at least 3 readings and calculate the mean.

3.Now place the test specimen in the bending table specimen should be kept in the bending table in
such a way that the plane

4. Intersecting the longitudinal ribs is parallel to the axis of the pin.

5 Select suitable rang of scale.

6.Start the machine and start applying load continuously and uniformly throughout the bending.

7. As the load is applied on the rod it will start bending.

8. Discontinue the application of load when the angle of bent specified in the material specimen has
been achieved before rebound.

9. Take out the specimen and examine the tension surface of the specimen for cracking.

Specification for Angel in Bend Test

: Bar # 3 to Bar #11 should bend up to 180 degree without crack

Bar # 14 & Bar # 18 should bend up to 90 degree without crack

This all specification has been given in AASHTO (American Association for Sate Highway and
Transportation Officials.
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Purpose of Bend Testing:

Bend testing a material allows for the determination of that materials ductility, bend strength, fracture
strength and resistance to fracture. These characteristics can be used to determine whether a material
will fail under pressure and are especially important in any construction process involving ductile
materials loaded with bending forces. If a material begins to fracture or completely fractures during a
three or four point bend test it is valid to assume that the material will fail under a similar in any
application, which may lead to catastrophic failure.

Four Common Bend Tests:

There are four common types of bend tests. In a guided bend test, the sample is placed horizontally
across two supports and then a force applied to the top of the midpoint deforming the sample into a
“U” shape. In a semi-guided bend test, the specimen’s midpoint is bent to a specific angle or inside
radius. In a free bend test, the ends of the sample are pushed together, but no force is applied to the
bend itself. Finally, a common fracture toughness test (ASTM E399) consists of a sample with a
precracked starter crack on the bottom side of the midpoint which is loaded into a 3-point bend fixture
so that the midpoint force is applied on the opposite face from the fracture.