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i244

Material Testing System

Tensile Test for Metallic Materials Using Strain Rate

Control and Stress Rate Control

No.

n Introduction
International standards for tensile testing of metallic
materials have been revised as specified in ISO 6892
and JIS Z2241, such that strain rate control, where
strain is measured with an extensometer, has recently
been added as a test item to the current stress rate
control method, in which a load is applied to a material
until its yield point is reached. As a result, it can be
assumed that there will be situations where both stress
rate control and strain rate control tensile testing of

metallic materials will be required.

Here, we introduce examples of strain rate control and
stress rate control tensile testing of metallic samples,
including cold-rolled steel, austenitic stainless steel,
aluminium alloy and brass, according to ISO 6892,
using the Shimadzu Autograph AG-50kNX Precision
Universal Tester, and the SSG50-10H strain gauge type
one-touch extensometer (Fig.1, Fig.2).

Fig.1 Overview of Universal Testing System

Fig.2 Specimen and Jigs for Tensile Testing

n Specimens and Test Conditions

Information on the sample specimens are shown in Table1, and the test conditions are shown in Table2.
Table1 Test Specimens
Sample Name

Material

Cold-rolled steel

Stainless steel (austenitic)

Aluminium alloy

Brass

Gauge length
50 mm
Width 25 mm
Sample size

Parallel length
60 mm
Width 25 mm, thickness 1 mm, gauge length 50 mm, parallel length 60 mm
(JIS Z 2241 No. 5 test specimen)

Table2 Test Conditions

1) Load cell capacity

50kN

2) Jig

50kN Non-shift wedge type grips (file teeth for flat specimen)

3) Test speed

See Table3

4) Test temperature

Ambient temperature

5) Software

TRAPEZIUMX (single)

Stress (MPa)

Fig.3 shows an image diagram of the test speed, and

Table3 and Table4 show the applicable test speeds for
the strain control and stress control tests, respectively.

V2

n Test Results
F i g . 4 s h o w s a d i a g r a m o f t h e s t re s s s t ro k e
displacement for each sample using strain-rate control,
and Table5 shows their characteristic values. In Fig.4,
the point at which the stress becomes discontinuous, as
indicated by the jump in the stress-stroke displacement
curve, corresponds to the point at which the strain rate
is switched.

V3

800
A
B
C
D

700

V1
(A) (B)

Strain (%)

Stress (MPa)

600
500
400
300

(A): Upper yield point (or its corresponding point)

(B): Upper limit of strain measurement (point after proof strength point)

200

Fig.3 Image of Test Strain Rate

100
0

Table3 Test Strain Rate (based on strain rate control)

V1: Strain rate

0.00025/s (1.5 %/min)

V2: Strain rate

0.00025/s (1.5 %/min)

V3: Predicted strain rate

0.0067/s (40 %/min)

20

40

60

80

Stroke Displacement (mm)

Fig.4 Test Results for Each Metallic Material (stress-stroke curve
based on strain rate control)
Table5 Test results (Average n = 3)

Table4 Test Stress Rate (based on stress rate control)

V1: Stress rate

10 MPa/s

V2: Strain rate

0.00083/s (5 %/min)

V3: Predicted strain rate

0.0067/s (40 %/min)

Sample Name

Elastic 0.2% Proof

Strength
Modulus
(MPa)
(GPa)

Tensile
Strength
(MPa)

Elongation
at Break
(%)

A (cold-rolled steel)

194

185.5

341.5

43.3

B (stainless steel)

200

278.5

660.8

55.0

C (aluminum)

71

170.1

236.3

13.0

D (brass)

109

193.1

398.1

49.1

Note 1) Strain rate refers to the amount of increase in strain, obtained using an extensometer to measure the gauge length of a test specimen, per
unit time.
Note 2) Predicted strain rate was obtained using the displacement of the testing machine crosshead at each point in time and the test specimen's
parallel length. Thus, it is defined as the increase in strain of the specimen's parallel length per unit time.

Predicted strain rate control region

500

10-2

400
10-3

300
200

10-4

Strain rate control region

100
0
0

20

40

60
80
Time (s)

100

120

10-5
140

700
600

Stress (MPa)

500

Predicted strain rate control region

10-2

400
10-3

300
200
100
0

10-4

Strain rate control

region

20

40

60
80
Time (s)

100

120

Predicted strain rate

control region

300
200
0

20

40

60
80
Time (s)

10-3
10-4

Strain rate control region

100

10-5

140

800
700

100

120

140

10-5

100

Stress
Predicted strain rate
Strain rate

10-1

600
Stress (MPa)

10-1

600

Strain Rate, Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

700

10-2

400

Fig.5 (b) Test Results (Sample B)

100

Stress
Predicted strain rate
Strain rate

10-1

500

Fig.5 (a) Test Results (Sample A)

800

100
Stress
Predicted strain rate
Strain rate

Strain Rate, Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

Stress (MPa)

600

10-1

800

Predicted strain rate control region

500

10-2

400
10-3

300
200
100
0

Fig.5 (c) Test Results (Sample C)

10-4

Strain rate control region

20

40

60
80
Time (s)

100

120

10-5

Strain Rate, Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

700

100

Stress
Predicted strain rate
Strain rate

Strain Rate, Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

800

within the permissible strain rate control range,

indicating excellent strain rate control. Regarding
samples A and B, displacement is measured up to 2%
of the gauge length using an extensometer. In the case
of samples C and D, the strain measured using an
extensometer was only up to 0.8%, because of the
appearance of serration when strain corresponding to
about 1% was applied.

Stress (MPa)

Fig.5 (a) (d) shows the strain rate and predicted strain
rate obtained from tensile testing of the respective
metallic materials using strain rate control. The red solid
lines show the strain rate, the blue solid lines the
predicted strain rate, and the black broken lines show
the stress. In addition, the green dotted lines represent
the permissible value 20% relative tolerance in the
strain rate control (as specified in ISO 6892). As for the
actual load rate, it is clear that the values are well

140

Fig.5 (d) Test Results (Sample D)

Fig.6 shows the stress-stroke displacement curve diagram obtained from tensile testing of each of the metallic
materials using stress rate control, and the characteristic values are shown in Table6.

800

A
B
C
D

700

Stress (MPa)

600
500
400
300
200
100
0

20
40
60
Stroke Displacement (mm)

80

Fig.6 Test Results (stress-stroke curve based on stress rate control)

Table6 Test Results (Average n = 3)

0.2 % Proof Strength
(MPa)

Tensile Strength
(MPa)

Elongation at Break
(%)

A (cold-rolled steel)

194

193.3

349.3

42.0

B (stainless steel)

205

290.7

687.0

54.8

C (aluminum)

69

177.0

233.5

12.6

D (brass)

112

196.7

405.5

48.8

Fig.7 (a) (d) shows the strain rate and predicted strain
rate obtained from tensile testing of the respective
metallic materials using stress rate control. The pink

Predicted strain rate

10-1

50
40

10-2

30

10-3

20
10-4

10
0

20

40

60
80
Time (s)

100

120

140

10-2

30

10-3

20

10-2

30

10-3

20
10-4

10
60
80
Time (s)

100

120

140

10-5

Stress Rate (MPa/s), Stress (MPa)

40

40

20

70

100

Predicted strain rate

10-1

20

10-4

10
40

60
80
Time (s)

100

120

140

10-5

Fig.7 (b) Test Results (Sample B)

50

0
0

10-1

40

Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

Stress Rate (MPa/s), Stress (MPa)

60

Stress 0.1
Stress rate

Predicted strain rate

50

Fig.7 (a) Test Results (Sample A)

70

Stress 0.1
Stress rate

60

10-5

100

Stress 0.1
Stress rate

60

100

Predicted strain rate

10-1

50
40

10-2

30

10-3

20
10-4

10
0

20

40

60
80
Time (s)

100

120

140

Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

Stress 0.1
Stress rate

Stress Rate (MPa/s), Stress (MPa)

60

70

100
Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

Stress Rate (MPa/s), Stress (MPa)

70

solid lines show the stress rate, the blue solid lines the
predicted strain rate, and the black broken lines show
the stress.

Predicted Strain Rate (S-1)

Elastic Modulus
(GPa)

Sample Name

10-5

Fig.7 (c) Test Results (Sample C)

Fig.7 (d) Test Results (Sample D)

It is clear that at the set rates, suitably stable data could

be acquired for both stress rate and predicted strain
rate.
The above results demonstrate that in the tensile
testing of the various types of metallic materials using
the Shimadzu Autograph AG-50kNX Precision Universal
Tester, the strain rate control values were well within
the range of the permissible values ( 20%) specified
in ISO 6892. Similarly, stable testing using stress rate
control was also achieved. When using typical universal

testing machines, testing control methods other than

the crosshead rate control, e.g. strain rate control and
stress rate control, normally require burdensome
adjustment of the control gain depending on the
material being tested. However, with this instrument,
strain rate control and stress rate control in tensile
testing of any metallic material are easily conducted
because the gain is adjusted automatically (auto-tuning
feature).

First Edition: January, 2012

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

The contents of this publication are provided to you as is without warranty of any kind, and are subject to change without notice.
Shimadzu does not assume any responsibility or liability for any damage, whether direct or indirect, relating to the use of this publication.

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Shimadzu Corporation, 2012