MCE 332L

Material and Manufacturing Process

Laboratory

Lab.3
Compression Test

Mohammed Mustafa
 Objectives
 Introduction.
 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test.
 Specimen in Compression Test.
 Precision in Compression Test.
 Compression Test vs. Tension Test.
 Advantages of Compression Test.
 Malleability.
 Report Requirement.

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 Introduction
 In compression test a load that squeezes a
cylindrical specimen between two platens
is applied.

 As the specimen is compressed, its height is reduced and its

cross sectional area is increased

Compression test set up Specimen before and after test

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 Introduction
 Engineering stress is defined as:

𝐹
𝑠=
𝐴𝑜

Where Ao = original cross sectional area of specimen, mm (in),

F = load, N (lb.).

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 Introduction
 Engineering strain is defined as:

ℎ−ℎ𝑜
𝑒=
ℎ𝑜

Where ho = starting height, and

h = instantons height of specimen.

 Because height is decreased during compression, the value of

e will be negative. The negative sign is usually ignored when
expressing the values of compression strain.
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 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

 When engineering stress is plotted

against engineering strain in a
compression test, the results appear
as in the Figure.

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Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

Stress and strain curve in Stress and strain curve in

tensile test compression test

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 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

 The curve is divided into elastic and

plastic regions.

 The curve in the plastic region is

different from that curve in tensile
test, the curve continues raising up,
What does this mean?

 This means more or higher stress is

exerted on specimen, Why?

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 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

 The increase of cross sectional area

result in continuous increase of the
compressive load magnitude
regardless of strain hardening
behavior of the material.

 Obviously the material becomes

thicker not thinner in compression
test.

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 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

 The properties associated with

maximum force point (onset of
necking in direction
perpendicular to the load or
groove formation) in the uniaxial
tension test (UTS) and uniform
elongation do not apply to
compression test.

 Necking does not take place in

compression test

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 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

 Often the uniaxial compression test is

not terminated by the fracture of the
material but by reaching the limit of
the press load capacity.

 Note there is not fracture point on

the curve.

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 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

 Another reason contributes to the increase

in stress. As the cylindrical specimen is
squeezed, friction at the surfaces in contact
with the platens tends to prevent the ends
of the cylinder from spreading.

 Additional energy is consumed by this

friction during the test and this result in
higher applied force. It also shows up an
increase in the computed engineering stress.

 To reduce the effect of friction in the

experiment, rubber is used as between the
mating surfaces.

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 Stress and Strain Diagram in Compression Test

 Another consequence of the friction

between the surfaces is that the
material near the middle of the
specimen is permitted to increase in
area much more than at the ends.
This result in the characteristic
barreling of the specimen.

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Brittle and Ductile Material under Compression

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 Specimen in Compression Test

 A slim tensile test sample can not be used in compression

test, as such sample in compressive load would rather
buckle (the column buckling phenomena) than be subject
to a uniform deformation a long its length.

 For the same reason the compression test is not applicable

for test sheet products which exhibits very low stiffness in
the thickness direction.

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 Specimen in Compression Test

(a) Buckling, when L/D > 5.

(b) Shearing, when L/D > 2.5.
(c) Double barreling, when L/D > 2.0
and friction is present at the
contact surfaces.
(d) Barreling, when L/D < 2.0 and
friction is present at the contact
surfaces.
(e) Homogenous compression, when
L/D < 2.0 and no friction is present
at the contact surfaces.
Modes of Deformation in Compression
(f) Compressive instability due to Testing
work-softening material

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 Specimen in Compression Test

 For the most suitable shape of the sample for the uniaxial
compression test is a short cylinder having a height to a diameter
ℎ
ration low enough to eliminate buckling and with circular
𝑑
cross section providing the most uniform distribution of
ℎ
axial stress. The recommended range ration is:
𝑑

ℎ
1.0 < < 1.8
𝑑

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 Precision in Compression Test

 In the case of uniaxial test the precision of strain measurements

can be very high if a long sample is used.
 This high precision can is not available in the uniaxial
compression test.
 The fact that the initial sample geometry has to be maintained
ℎ
within the preventing buckling ratio of implies that an increase
𝑑
of gage length (height of sample h) can not be implemented
without increasing the diameter d of the sample and the press
load range.
 The increase of press load range require use of appropriate load
gage with less accurate resolution ΔF, but increase load carrying
capacity Fmax

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 Precision in Compression Test

 The second factor that affects measurement precision in

uniaxial compression test is barreling phenomena.

 The samples shape evolution also makes a difference.

(increase of cross section area with increase of load)

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 Compression Test vs. Tension Test

 Although differences exist between engineering

stress-strain curves in tension and compression, the true
stress-strain relationships are nearly identical

 Since tensile test results are more common, flow curve

values (K and n) from tensile test data can be applied to
compression operations

 When using tensile K and n data for compression, ignore

necking, which is a phenomenon peculiar to straining
induced by tensile stresses

 Instead Barreling and edge fracture happen

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 Advantages of Compression Test

 Compression operation in metal forming are much more

common than stretching operations. Important
compression processes in industry include rolling, forging
and extrusion.

 The main application of the compression test generated

data is the determination of the plastic strain-stress curve
required for the development of manufacturing processes
in the area of technology of plasticity

 Also the uniaxial compression test is used when the

available volume is too small to machine a sample for the
tension test

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 Malleability

 Is a mechanical property of matter, it is a measure of how easily the

material deforms under compression or rolling forces (how far you can
form it with compression, it is similar to ductility in tension).
Malleability in compression is measured as following:
𝐴𝑓 −𝐴𝑜
𝜓𝑚 = × 100
𝐴𝑜

Where:
Af is final cross section area
Ao is initial cross section area
 Often the uniaxial compressing test is not terminated by the fracture of
the material but by reaching the limit of press load capacity. The
hydraulic press overload sensor stops press. In this context the
compression test is not used to determine the standard mechanical
properties of material required in product design.

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Report Requirement

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