Mechanical Testing of Steel Many tests are available to evaluate the mechanical properties of steel. This section summarizes some laboratory tests commonly used to determine properties required in product specifications. Test specimens can take several shapes, such as bar, tube, Read more…
Heat Treatment of Steel Properties of steel can be altered by applying a variety of heat treatments. For example, steel can be hardened or softened by using heat treatment; the response of steel to heat treatment depends upon its alloy Read more…
Iron Carbon Phase Diagram In refining steel from iron ore, the quantity of carbon used must be carefully controlled in order for the steel to have the desired properties. The reason for the strong relationship between steel properties and carbon Read more…
Phase Diagrams of Alloys To produce alloy metals, the components are heated to a molten state, mixed, and then cooled. The temperature at which the material transitions between a liquid and a solid is a function of the percentages of Read more…
Variability of Materials It is essential to understand that engineering materials are inherently variable. For example, steel properties vary depending on chemical composition and method of manufacture. Concrete properties change depending on type and amount of cement, type of aggregate, Read more…
Mechanical Properties of Materials The mechanical behavior of materials is the response of the material to external loads. All materials deform in response to loads; however, the specific response of a material depends on its properties, the magnitude and type Read more…
Viscoelastic Behavior of Materials The previous discussion assumed that the strain was an immediate response to stress. This is an assumption for elastic and elastoplastic materials. However, no material has this property under all conditions. In some cases, materials exhibit Read more…
Fire Resistant Buildings It is reported that in USA fire kills more people each year than all other natural disasters combined including floors, cyclones and earthquake. The fire load in a building should be kept to the minimum possible. The Read more…
An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the earth surface caused by the breaking and shifting of rocks beneath. During earthquake, ground motion occurs in a random fashion in all directions radiating from a point within earth crust, called Read more…
An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the earth surface caused by the breaking and shifting of rocks beneath. During earthquake, ground motion occurs in a random fashion in all directions radiating from a point within earth crust, called Read more…