Practice Problems Set # 1 MECH 321 January 2019

Question 1:
A steel alloy specimen having a rectangular
cross section of dimensions 10 mm × 5 mm has
the stress–strain behavior shown on the right. If
this specimen is subjected to a tensile force of
20,000 N then:
(a) Determine the elastic and plastic strain
values.
(b) If its original length is 350 mm, what will
be its final length after the load in part (a) is
applied and then released?

Solution:

(a) Determining the applied stress:

𝐹 𝐹 20000𝑁
𝜎= = = = 400 × 106 𝑁/𝑚2 = 400𝑀𝑀𝑀
𝐴0 𝑏0 𝑑0 (10 × 10−3 ) × (5 × 10−3 )
From the Figure, this point is in the plastic region so the specimen will be both elastic and plastic
strains. The total strain at this point, Ɛt, is about 0.01. We are able to estimate the amount of
permanent strain recovery Ɛe from Hooke's law, as
σ
εe =
E
And, since E = 207 GPa for steel (Table 6.1)
400 𝑀𝑀𝑀
𝜀𝑒 = ≈ 0.002
207 × 103 𝑀𝑀𝑀
Plastic strain is just the difference between the total and elastic strains; that is
εp= εt - εe = 0.01– 0.002 = 0.008
(b) If the initial length is 350 mm then the final specimen length li may be determined from a
rearranged form of Equation 6.2 using the plastic strain value as:
li = l0(1 + εp) = (350 mm)(1 + 0.008) = 352.8 mm

Question 2:
A cylindrical rod 120 mm long and having a diameter of 15.0 mm is to be deformed using a
tensile load of 35,000 N. It must not experience either plastic deformation or a diameter
reduction of more than 1.2x10-2 mm. Of the materials listed below, which are possible
candidates? Justify your choice(s).
Practice Problems Set # 1 MECH 321 January 2019

Material Modulus of Yield Strength Poisson’s Ratio

Elasticity (GPa) (MPa)
Aluminum Alloy 70 250 0.33
Titanium Alloy 105 850 0.36
Steel Alloy 205 550 0.27
Magnesium Alloy 45 170 0.35

Solution:
This problem asks that we assess the four alloys relative to the two criteria presented. The first
criterion is that the material not experience plastic deformation when the tensile load of 35,000 N
is applied; this means that the stress corresponding to this load not exceed the yield strength of
the material. Upon computing the stress
𝐹 𝐹 35000 𝑁 6
𝑁
𝜎= = = = 200 × 10 = 200 𝑀𝑀𝑀
𝐴0 𝜋(𝑑 )2 15 × 10−3 𝑚 𝑚2
𝑠 𝜋 ×
2
Of the alloys listed in the table, the Al, Ti and steel alloys have yield strengths greater than 200
MPa. Relative to the second criterion, it is necessary to calculate the change in diameter Δd for
these two alloys. From Equation 6.8

𝜀𝑥 ∆𝑑 ⁄𝑑0
𝑣=− =−
𝜀𝑧 𝜎⁄𝐸

Now, solving for Δd from this expression,

𝑣𝑣𝑑0
∆𝑑 = −
𝐸
For the aluminum alloy

(0.33)(200 𝑀𝑀𝑀)(15 𝑚𝑚)

∆𝑑 = − = −1.41 × 10−2 𝑚𝑚
70 × 103 𝑀𝑀𝑀
Therefore, the Al alloy is not a candidate. For the steel alloy:

(0.27)(200 𝑀𝑀𝑀)(15 𝑚𝑚)

∆𝑑 = − ≈ −0.40 × 10−2 𝑚𝑚
250 × 103 𝑀𝑀𝑀
Therefore, the steel is a candidate. For the Ti alloy:

(0.36)(200 𝑀𝑀𝑀)(15 𝑚𝑚)

∆𝑑 = − ≈ −1.0 × 10−2 𝑚𝑚
105 × 103 𝑀𝑀𝑀
Hence, the titanium alloy is also a candidate.
Practice Problems Set # 1 MECH 321 January 2019

Question 3:

For a brass alloy, the following engineering stresses produce the corresponding plastic
engineering strains, prior to necking:

Engineering Stress (MPa) Engineering Strain

235 0.194
250 0.296

On the basis of this information, compute the engineering stress necessary to produce an
engineering strain of 0.25.

Solution:

For this problem we first need to convert engineering stresses and strains to true stresses and
strains so that the constants K and n in Equation (6.19) may be determined.

Since σ = σ(1 + Ɛ) then

T
σ = (235 MPa)(1 + 0.194) = 280 MPa
T1
σ = (250 MPa)(1 + 0.296) = 324 MPa
T2

Similarly for strains, since ƐT = ln(1 + Ɛ) then

Ɛ = ln(1 + 0.194) = 0.177
T
1
Ɛ = ln(1 + 0.296) = 0.259
T
2

Taking the logarithm of Equation (6.19), we get: log σ = log K + n log ƐT

T

which allows us to set up two simultaneous equations for the above pairs of true stresses and
true strains, with K and n as unknowns. Thus
log(280) = log K + n log(0.177)
log(324) = log K + n log(0.259)
Solving for these two expressions yields K = 543 MPa and n = 0.383.

Now, converting Ɛ= 0.25 to true strain, ƐT = ln(1 + 0.25) = 0.223

The corresponding σ to give this value of ƐT is just

T
0.383
σ = K ƐTn = (543 MPa)(0.223) = 306 MPa
T
306 MPa
Now converting this σ to an engineering stress: σ = σ /1+ Ɛ = 1 + 0.25 = 245 MPa
T T
Practice Problems Set # 1 MECH 321 January 2019

Question 4:

A single crystal of a metal that has the FCC crystal structure is oriented such that a tensile stress
is applied parallel to the [100] direction. If the critical resolved shear stress for this material is
0.5 MPa, calculate the magnitude of applied stress necessary to cause slip to occur on the (111)
plane in the [11� 0] direction.

Solution:

The critical shear stress is:

τ𝑐𝑐 = σ Cosϕ Cos λ

.
D
A
[111]

O
[11� 0]
φ y
λ C B
[100] σ

According to the above image, the angle λ is the angle between the tensile axis i.e., along the
[100] direction and the slip direction which is [11� 0]. Since there is FCC unit cell, each face can
be assumed as a square. So it will be 45°.
Furthermore, φ is the angle between the tensile axis the [100] direction and the normal to the slip
plane i.e., the (111) plane; for this case this normal is along a [111] direction. To find φ, first we
can find the length of CA in OAC triangle and then go for φ. To find the length of CA, we know
that, CA is diagonal of one face in FCC unit cell and its length is 4R. Also OC is a side of FCC
unit cell and according to the Pythagoras theory it is equal to 2√2 R.
tan−1 𝜑 = CA/OC= 4R/(2√2 R) = 1.41 So φ = 54.7°
And λ = 45°
And, finally, the an applied force to cause slip occur on the plan (111) is equal to

Cos45 × Cos 54.7 = 0.7 × 0.57 = 0.4

τ 0.5 𝑀𝑀𝑀
Hence σ = Cosθ𝑐𝑐Cos λ = 0.4 = 1.25𝑀𝑀𝑀
Practice Problems Set # 1 MECH 321 January 2019

Question 5:

(a) A 10-mm-diameter Brinell hardness indenter produced an indentation 1.62 mm in diameter in

a steel alloy when a load of 500 kg was used. Compute the HB of this material.

(b) What will be the diameter of an indentation to yield a hardness of 450 HB when a 500 kg
load is used?

Solution:

(a) Using the equation in Table 6.5 for HB, where P = 500 kg, d = 1.62 mm, and D = 10 mm:

2𝑃 2 × 500
𝐻𝐻 = � �= = 241
𝜋𝜋(𝐷 − �𝐷2 − 𝑑 2 ) 𝜋 × 10(10 − √102 − 1.622 )

(b) Solving for d from the equation in Table 6.5:

2 2
2𝑃 2 × 500
𝑑 = �𝐷2 − �𝐷 − � 2
� = (10) − �10 − � = 1.19𝑚𝑚
(𝐻𝐻)𝜋𝜋 𝜋 × 10 × 450