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 of load, and the geometry of the element. Whether the material “fails” under the load […]
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 both viscous and elastic responses, which are known as viscoelastic. Typical viscoelastic materials used in
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, air content, slump, method of curing, etc. The properties of asphalt concrete vary depending on
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 the components. The liquid and solid states of a material are called phases, and a
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 content can be understood by examining the iron–carbon phase diagram. Figure 1 shows a commonly
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 composition. Common heat treatments employed for steel include annealing, normalizing, hardening, and tempering. The basic
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, wire, flat section, and notched bar, depending on the test purpose and the application. Certain
Types of Direct Levelling The following are the different types of direct levelling: (1) Simple levelling (2) Differential levelling (3) Fly levelling (4) Profile levelling (5) Cross sectioning and (6) Reciprocal levelling. Simple Levelling It is the method used for finding difference between the levels of two nearby points. Figure 1 shows one such case
Theodolite is an instrument which replaced compass and level. It can measure both horizontal and vertical angles. If telescope is kept at zero reading of vertical angle it serves as an ordinary level. In this modern era of electronics equipments have come up to measure the distances to relieve surveyor from chaining long lines. It
Total station is modern survey equipment which combines the features of electronic theodolite and electromagnetic distance measurement (EDM) instruments. It is also integrated with microprocessor, electronic data collector and storage system. Total Station The instrument can be used to measure horizontal and vertical angles as well as sloping distance of object to the instrument. Microprocessor