ENS1115 MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING 1

LAB 2: MECHANICAL TESTING

ROOM JO 23.224, SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

(YOU MUST BRING THIS TO YOUR LAB CLASS, PLEASE FINISH PRE-LAB
QUESTIONS PRIOR TO YOUR LAB SESSION)

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Lab 2 Report Pro Forma

Date of Lab 17/12/2024 Time of Lab Group No. 3

Student No. Family Name First Name Contribution% Mark
70003498 Hulangamuwama Nuwantha 100%
74004149 Bandara Maleesha 100%
74002522 Alahakoon Kaveesha 100%
74000341 Fernando Rivina 100%
74004257 Benthotahewage Hirun 100%

1. Table 1. Ductility (8 marks)

Material Gauge length (mm) Cross-sectional area (mm2) % El % RA
Initial Final Initial Final
Steel 83 88 18.82 10.47 6.024 44.367
Aluminium 83 95 18.93 12.84 14.457 32.11

2. Table 2. Mechanical properties (10 marks) You should show how you work in the figures
in the examples at end. Note that, fail to do so will result in no mark even the value is right.
Material Yield Strength Ultimate Tensile Young’s Hardness (HV5)
(MPa) Strength (MPa) Modulus (GPa)
Steel 417 520 128.23 157.57
Aluminium 184 262 93.75 79.39

3. In a few sentences, comment on the usefulness of the single-sample results and

measurements errors. (2 marks)
Single-sample results can give important information about specific instances or conditions,
providing a picture of particular scenarios in detail. However, their relevance may be
confined to those instances and may be subject to outliers or unique circumstances.
Moreover, measurement errors indicate the likelihood of errors during data collection and
point out the stringency of procedures that have to be followed to obtain valid and reliable
results.

4. Based on the stress-strain plots, which materials tested are ductile and which are brittle?
How can you tell the difference? (4 marks)
The stress-strain plots indicate that Steel HR250 demonstrates characteristics typical of
ductile materials. This is evidenced by its smooth, extended curve, which highlights a
significant degree of plastic deformation along with noticeable necking prior to failure. The
material's high ultimate tensile strength of 520 MPa and Young's modulus illustrate its
capacity to withstand considerable stress while allowing for substantial elongation. Also,
from the hardness value of about 157.57 HV, steel tends to have a very good capability for
deformation under applied stress. In contrast, Aluminium 5251 seems to be somewhat brittle,
judging by its steep stress-strain curve, which shows limited plastic deformation and sudden
failure. Its lower UTS of 262 MPa and Young's modulus suggest a reduced capacity to bear
stress and elongation compared to steel. The hardness of aluminium, about 79.39 HV, further

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indicates a tendency to fracture under lesser degrees of deformation. These differences in the
stress-strain behavior and mechanical properties underscore the contrasting nature of steel as
a ductile material and aluminium as a more brittle one.
5. Based on the stress-strain plots, which materials tested are stiff and which are tough? How
can you tell the difference? (4 marks)
By comparing the Steel HR250 and Aluminium 5251 stress-strain curves, large differences in
mechanical properties for the two materials are revealed concerning stiffness and toughness.

The curve for Steel HR250 is steep at the beginning. It means that the material has a high
modulus of elasticity and, therefore, is quite stiff and will not easily deform. Applications
where rigidity is important, it can be an ideal choice. Its area under the curve is rather big,
showing toughness-high ability to absorb energy during the impact before failure.

On the other hand, Aluminium 5251 has a far gentler slope, indicative of a lower modulus of
elasticity and reduced stiffness, allowing for greater ductility, making it easier to bend, which
is conducive in applications needing lightweight flexibility. However, while the Aluminium
5251 may have some toughness, in general, it lacks the toughness seen in Steel HR250.

The results from the analysis show that Steel HR250 is stiffer and tougher than Aluminium
5251, hence bringing into light the respective advantages and limitations of each material for
engineering and manufacturing applications.

6. Describe the main differences between the plots for the specimens tested (you may use dot
points). (4 marks)
From the Steel HR250 and Aluminium 5251, several differences in mechanical properties
can be realized from their stress-strain plots. The value of Young's modulus, being around
128.23 GPa for Steel HR250, indicates the material that is very resistant to deformation as
its stress-strain curve is steep. It implies thereby that steel, being much stiffer than
Aluminium 5251 having a Young's modulus of approximately 93.75 GPa, is much less
flexible under stress. In addition, the UTS of Steel HR250 is 520 Mpa, which is much
higher compared to Aluminium 5251, whose UTS is 262 Mpa. This means that Steel
HR250 can withstand higher amounts of stress before failure. The hardness values further
reveal this difference, with Steel HR250 having a Vickers Hardness of about 157.57 HV,
while Aluminium 5251 has an HV of approximately 79.39 HV. Overall, Steel HR250 is
not only stiffer but stronger and harder too; thus, it will provide greater resistance to
deformation and failure under stress compared to the Aluminium 5251. Steel has higher
yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and a smoother transition from elastic to plastic
than does aluminum, with a lower Young’s modulus and steeper elastic region.

7. Assuming that the density of steel and aluminium are 7.9 and 2.7 g/cm 3, respectively,
which material has the best strength-to-weight ratio? (Hint: the strength-to-weight ratio is
called specific strength, equal to yield strength divided by density). (3 marks)

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Specific strength of Steel= (417* 106)/ (7.9 * 103) = 52784.81013 Pa m3/kg
Specific strength of Aluminium = (184* 106) / (2.7 * 103) = 68148.14815 Pa m3/kg

Aluminium offers the best strength-to-weight ratio among the options, making it ideal for
applications that require lightweight strength.

8. Is there relationship between hardness and tensile strength? What is the relationship in
these two materials (show how did you obtain your conclusion)? (3 marks)
Yes, there generally is some relation between hardness and tensile strength in materials, with
the exception of metals. Hardness and tensile strength are related because they both quantify
the resistance of a material against deformation. While hardness generally describes a
material's resistance to a form of localized plastic deformation, tensile strength is a measure
of the maximum stress that the material will withhold without breaking under the uniaxial
tensile loading conditions.
TS∝H
UTS (MPa) = 3.45 × HB (HB: Brinell hardness)
UTS (MPa) = HV / 3 (HV: Vickers hardness)
In our case study, we should consider about Vickers hardness test with a 5 kgf (kilogram-
force) load (HV5).
For steels and some other metals, a common formula is:
TS(MPa)≈3.3⋅HV

Steel- 520/157.57 ≈ 3.3001 Al- 262/79.39 ≈ 3.3001

 Maintains a proportional relationship with close exact ratio.
The relationship between hardness and tensile strength is generally linear for many metals but
specific to the material type. You can determine approximate tensile strength for a specific
material using empirical constants developed from experiments on the subject material. This
relation therefore simplifies predictions of properties and comparison of materials.

Marks for Report ( /38)

TOTAL MARK FOR LAB 2 ( /45)

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Example stress-strain curves
These are to be used to fill out Table 2. Please do necessary working on the figures for any
values in Table 2. Note that, no working results in zero mark for each value in the table.

UTS
520Mpa

Yield Strength

417Mpa

Figure 1 Stress-strain curve for steel.

[0.23,358]

[0.06,140]

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Figure 2 An enlarged stress-strain curve for Figure 1 with strain up to 4%).

UTS
262Mpa

Figure 3 Stress-strain curve for aluminium.

Yield Strength
[0.12,100]
184Mpa

[0.04,25]

Figure 4 An enlarged stress-strain curve for Figure 3 with strain up to 1%).

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