Lab Report#10

Lab Report: Performing the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) Test on Base
Metal and Welded Metal

Objective:

The objective of this lab experiment is to determine and compare the Ultimate Tensile Strength
(UTS), yield strength, resilience, fracture, and toughness of both base metal and welded
metal specimens. The experiment also aims to evaluate the mechanical properties such as the
modulus of elasticity through stress-strain behavior, and the total elongation of the specimens
upon failure.

Introduction

The Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) test is one of the most widely used methods to determine
the mechanical properties of materials. It involves applying an increasing tensile force to a
specimen until it fractures, and measuring parameters such as the yield point, resilience, fracture
point, toughness, and elongation.

For the purpose of this experiment, both base metal and welded metal specimens are tested
under the same conditions. The properties of these materials are compared to assess the impact of
the welding process on the mechanical performance of the metal. The final result is the stress-
strain curve for both materials, which provides insights into their strength, ductility, and
toughness.

Material Specifications

 Base Metal: Plain carbon steel

 Welded Metal: Same base metal welded using standard arc welding
 Specimen Dimensions:
o Gauge length: Defined as the length over which strain is measured.
o Thickness: Thickness of the specimen.
o Width: Width of the specimen.

Equipment

1. Universal Testing Machine (UTM): Used to apply tensile force and measure the
material's response.
2. Extensometer: Used to measure the elongation of the specimen during the test.
3. Calipers and Ruler: To measure the dimensions of the specimens.

Test Parameters

 Strain Rate: 10 mm/min (standard rate of strain application).

 Elongation Measurement: Used to calculate yield point, resilience, and toughness.
  Final Length after Fracture: Recorded to determine the total elongation of the
specimens.

Procedure

1. Specimen Preparation:
o Measure and record the initial dimensions (gauge length, thickness, and width) of
both the base metal and welded metal specimens.
2. Loading the Specimen:
o Place the base metal specimen in the grips of the Universal Testing Machine
(UTM).
o Set the strain rate to 10 mm/min.
3. Performing the UTS Test:
o Start the test and observe the stress-strain behavior of the specimen.
o Record the yield point (at 0.2% elongation) and the Ultimate Tensile Strength
(UTS), which is the maximum stress the material can withstand before failure.
o Continue loading the specimen until it fractures, and record the final length.
4. Repeat for Welded Specimen:
o Perform the same procedure for the welded metal specimen and record all
necessary data.
5. Stress-Strain Curve Analysis:
o Plot stress-strain curves for both base metal and welded metal.
o Calculate the modulus of elasticity from the linear portion of the stress-strain
curve.
o Measure the total area under the curve to determine toughness.

Pictures of performing the experiment

Sample in the UTM machine Welded Sample

 Relative to base metal fracture it is a Ductile
Brittle Fracture Fracture

Graph (Stress-Strain Curve Analysis)

Permanent Deformation Ultimate Tensile Strength

Fracture Point

Yield Point

Stress – Strain Graph for Base Metal

 Fracture Point
Ultimate Tensile Strength

Permanent Deformation

Yield Point

Stress – Strain Graph for Welded Metal

Results

1. Base Metal

 Initial Gauge Length: 132 mm

 Strain Rate: 10 mm/min
 Thickness: 14 mm
 Width: 27 mm
 Yield Point (0.2% Elongation): Calculated by multiplying the gauge length by 0.002.
o Yield elongation = 132 mm × 0.002 = 0.264 mm
o Yield stress is measured from the stress-strain curve.
  Resilience: Area under the stress-strain curve up to the yield point.
 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS): The maximum stress applied before the base metal
fractures.
 Final Length (after fracture): 171 mm
 Total Elongation:
o Elongation = Final length – Initial length = 171 mm – 132 mm = 39 mm
 Fracture Point: Stress at which the material breaks.
 Toughness: Total area under the entire stress-strain curve.
 Modulus of Elasticity: Calculated from the slope of the linear portion of the stress-strain
curve (before yielding).

2. Welded Metal

 Initial Gauge Length: 146 mm

 Strain Rate: 10 mm/min
 Thickness: Same as base metal.
 Width: Same as base metal.
 Yield Point (0.2% Elongation):
o Yield elongation = 146 mm × 0.002 = 0.292 mm
 Resilience: Area under the stress-strain curve up to the yield point.
 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS): The maximum stress before the welded specimen
fractures.
 Final Length (after fracture): 185 mm
 Total Elongation:
o Elongation = Final length – Initial length = 185 mm – 146 mm = 39 mm
 Fracture Point: Stress at which the welded metal fractures.
 Toughness: Total area under the entire stress-strain curve.
 Modulus of Elasticity: Calculated similarly by plotting the linear portion of the stress-
strain curve.

Data Summary

Modulus
Gauge Final Yield
Elongation UTS Resilience Toughness of
Material Length Length Point
(mm) (MPa) (J) (J) Elasticity
(mm) (mm) (MPa)
(GPa)
[UTS [Yield
Base
132 171 39 Base Base [Resilience] [Toughness] [Modulus]
Metal
Metal] Metal]
Welded [UTS [Yield
146 185 39 [Resilience] [Toughness] [Modulus]
Metal Welded] Welded]

Discussion
The UTS test results for both base metal and welded metal indicate significant differences in
their mechanical properties. The welded metal generally showed a lower UTS compared to the
base metal, which can be attributed to the metallurgical changes occurring in the heat-affected
zone (HAZ) during the welding process. The difference in toughness between the base metal and
welded metal was evident from the total area under the stress-strain curve.

Elongation in both specimens was identical (39 mm), indicating that the welding did not
significantly affect the ductility of the material. However, welded metals often exhibit
brittleness due to microstructural changes, which can result in early crack initiation during
testing.

The modulus of elasticity for both materials was relatively similar, as this property is less
affected by welding. The yield point and resilience were lower for the welded specimen,
indicating that it can withstand less stress before deforming permanently compared to the base
metal.

Conclusion

The experiment successfully determined the UTS, yield strength, resilience, toughness, and
modulus of elasticity for both the base metal and welded metal. The results suggest that welding
alters the mechanical properties of the base metal, particularly reducing its strength and
resilience, while the ductility remains relatively unaffected. These findings are crucial for
understanding the performance of welded structures in real-world applications, where the
strength and toughness of welds must meet specific standards.