MATERIAL SCIENCES AND

ENGINEERING FOR M.E.

LABORATORY

Module 2:
A. Compressive Strength
Determination (Buckling)
 Learning
Course Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
• At the end of the term, students can:
 Understand how to have skills and competency
in determining the mechanical and physical
properties of sample specimen by requiring
students to perform the actual test which are
significantly related to the required skills in the
industry.
 Familiarize in the gathering of laboratory test
data in the performance of the specified
laboratory experiments.
 Evaluate the laboratory test data gathered and
provide detailed explanation or interpretations
to justify the veracity of the test results.
2
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)
OBJECTIVES:
1. To be able to acquire basic knowledge and
skills in determining the tensile strength of steel
round bar by requiring students to perform the
actual test which are significantly related to the
required skills in industry.
SAFETY MEASURES:
1. The instructor must orient the students in proper
handling of tools prior to actual processing to avoid
accidents.
2. Do’s and don’ts must be fully emphasized.

2 May 2023 Prepared By: Engr. Joshua Hernandez 3

 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)

BASIC CONCEPTS:
DEFINITION OF TERMS
EQUIPMENT:
Universal Testing Machine
MATERIAL:
Round steel bar with standard dimension based
on internationally established size.

4
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength(Buckling)
PROCEDURE:
1. Provide cubic concrete specimens using metal cylindrical
container.
2. Carefully center the cube on the lower platen and ensure
that the load will be applied to two opposite cast faces of
the cube.
3. Input the specimen diameter of the test piece into the
UTM machine computer.
4. Switch the hydraulic power on and push the button to
move the clamp downward.
5. Without shock, apply and increase the load continuously
at a nominal rate within the range of (0.2 N/mm2 to
0.4N/mm2) until no greater laod can be sustained.

5
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)

PROCEDURE: (Cont’n)
7. Compute the compressive strength by dividing the
maximum load attained during the test by the cross
sectional area of the specimen. formula : stress =
force/area Where area = (3.1416x d2) / 4
Force = actual force recorded in the computer when the
cubic concrete breaks.
SAFETY PRECAUTION:
1. Always follow the lab technician instruction in operating
the UTM.
2. Move away and keep safe distance from the machine
while the tensile test is ongoing.
3. Never touch any part of the machine or the test piece
during testing operation. 6
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)
THEORY
When a material is subjected to compressive loading, the
relationship between stress and strain is similar to that
obtained for a tensile loading. Up to a certain value of stress,
the material behaves elastically, i.e. stress is in proportion to
strain. Beyond this value, plastic flow starts, i.e. more strain
starts than happening in elastic limit for any increment value
of loading. It is seen that a compression test is more difficult
to be conducted than standard tensile test due to (a)
specimen must have larger cross-sectional area to resist any
buckling due to bending, (b) the specimen undergoing strain
hardening as deformation proceeds, and (c) cross-section of
the specimen increases with deformation, thereby requiring
substantial increase in the required load.

7
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)
THEORY
The lateral instability due to
buckling action can be avoided by
keeping the ratio of height (h) to
diameter (d) of the specimen less
than 2. The compressive strength
essentially depends open ‘h’ to ‘d’
ratio. Hence, higher is ‘h’ to ‘d’
ratio, lower is the compressive
strength.
Compression tests are performed on brittle materials as these
materials fail in shear. It is seen that the shear develops along a
diagonal plane which is maximum on a plane inclined at 45° from
the direction of compression load.

8
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)
THEORY
In compression loading, the fracture of the specimen takes
place due to bulging action. The property of a material to
bulge under compressive loading is called malleability. It is the
ductility that is associated with tensile loading while it is
malleability that is associated with compressive loading. The
modulus of elasticity in tensile loading and compressive
loading should be equal except for bi-modulus materials such
as wood.

Ultimate load
Ultimate compressive strength = ----------------------------
Cross-sectional area

9
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)

What are the Benefits of Compression Testing?

Compression testing provides data on the integrity and
safety of materials, components and products, helping
manufacturers ensure that their finished products are fit-
for-purpose and manufactured to the highest quality.
The data produced in a compression test can be used in
many ways including:
• To determine batch quality
• To determine consistency in manufacture
• To aid in the design process
• To reduce material costs and achieve lean
manufacturing goals
• To ensure compliance with international and industry
standards
10
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)
Materials Under Compression
Certain materials subjected to a compressive force show
initially a linear relationship between stress and strain. This is
the physical manifestation of Hooke's Law, which states:
E = Stress (s) / Strain (e)
where E is known as Young's Modulus for compression. This
value represents how much the material will deform under
applied compressive loading before plastic deformation
occurs. A material's ability to return to its original shape after
deformation has occurred is referred to as its elasticity.
Vulcanized rubber, for instance, is said to be very elastic, as it
will revert back to its original shape after considerable
compressive force has been applied.

11
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)
Materials Under Compression
Once a certain force or stress threshold has been
achieved, permanent or plastic deformation will occur and
is shown on graphs as the point where linear behavior
stops. This threshold is known as the proportional limit and
the force at which the material begins exhibiting this
behavior is called the yield point or yield strength. A
specimen will then exhibit one of two types of behavior; it
will either continue to deform until it eventually breaks, or it
will distort until flat. In either case a maximum stress or
force will be evident, providing its ultimate compressive
strength value.

12
 Experiment No.3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)

13
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength

14
 Experiment No.3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)
Test Standards
ASTM D575 Compression Test of Rubber
ASTM D6641 Compression Testing for Polymer Matrix Composite
Laminates
ASTM D695 Compression Testing for Rigid Plastics
ASTM D7137 Compressive Residual Strength Test Equipment for
Damaged Polymer Matrix Composite Plates
ASTM D905 Wood Adhesive Bonds in Shear by Compression
Loading
ASTM E9 Compression Testing of Metallic Materials at Room
Temperature
ISO 14126 Compression Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Composites Test
Machine
ISO 1856 Flexible Cellular Polymeric Materials Compression EN
ISO 604 Compressive Plastics Testing Equipment
ISO 844 Compressive Strength of Rigid Cellular Plastics
15
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength
COMPRESSIVE STRESS

Figure 1 and 2 – Compression Test Apparatus and Cube Concrete

buckled
16
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength

Figure 3 –
Compression
Apparatus

17
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)

18
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of Compressive Strength (Buckling)

QUESTIONS:
a) What considerations beside strength affect the
selection of a W/C ratio?
b) What is the effect of age of the concrete upon the
W/C ratio - strength curve?
c) What relative compressive strengths would you have
obtained in your tests if 150 x 300 mm cylinders had
been used in place of 75 x 150 mm cylinders?
d) What relative compressive strengths would you have
obtained in your test if 150 mm cubes had been
used in place of 100 mm cubes?

19