Summary

This TLP has covered the basics of how mechanical testing of metals is carried out, aimed at study of the onset and development of plastic deformation and how it affects the "strength" (failure stress) and ductility. It is based on continuum mechanics - ie there is no detailed consideration of the mechanisms of plasticity or of effects such as anisotropy and inhomogeneity that could arise from microstructural features. The plasticity, and also the consequential necking and fracture that are likely to occur under tensile loading, are characterised by constitutive laws. Two commonly-used expressions are described here. Their usage in FEM modelling is outlined, aimed at obtaining detailed information about the stress and strain fields that are generated during different types of test.